Lion Along The Nile
by JaceSienna98
Summary: Kiran wants nothing to to with anything in her life. Her escape from everything comes rather unexpectedly in the form of a near death experience and a riddle. Now she's in ancient Egypt and she meets a charming general with two different color eyes. Will she be able to save Egypt? Will she be able to go home?...Will she even want to? OCXRamses DISCLAIMER: I do not own Red River.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Kiran Fleming looked at the letter in her hand with displeasure, it was clearly sealed with the Fleming family emblem.

 _'Ugh, again? Why don't they find someone else to rule that damned kingdom?!_ ' She thought irritably and sighed.

The adviser of the Fleming kingdom, a small region of Ireland, has been bugging her about becoming the ruler. That would make her Lady Kiran.

 _'No thank you.'_ She thought. _'My name doesn't sound like a lady's anyway, why the hell would I ever want to be one?'_ Kiran was absolutely opposed to the thought of having to act all polite and ladylike.

' _Besides, what exactly is in ruling a kingdom I hardly even know about?'_

 _ **'Pathetic excuses,'**_ a more honest part of herself stated. _**'you know that that's all those are.'**_ And Kiran did, though she would never admit it, even to herself. All her protest was really just a manifestation of her own weakness, because she wanted to live her life, for _them_ , if not for herself. She knew it, too. She even- distantly- acknowledged it, but acknowledgement isn't the same as caring.

The reason they wanted her to rule was because she's smart, has leadership skills, and is charismatic in both looks and speech. And her cousins were…lacking in one area or another. Bluntly speaking, her cousins all spoiled idiots.

She was really their only half decent choice, and Adamson's desperation in getting her to accept reflected that clearly. Maybe if Kiran was a softer person she would be ashamed that she was causing him so much trouble, but she wasn't.

Kiran promptly wrote up a letter in reply,

 _Dear adviser Adamson,_

 _I don't know how many times I'll have to say this, but for your convenience I'll say it again, I will never become ruler of Fleming, please find someone else. If you need me to, I will decline officially. Send me notification if you need me to fly to Ireland to settle this matter. I-_

Her writing was interrupted by a knock on the door, she went to get it, as she knew no one else would. She immediately regretted her decision as a sharp stinging sensation appeared in her cheek, she cupped it in her hand as a reflex and in an attempt to cool it from the burning feeling that washed over it. She looked up to see her aunt, Victoria Burstein. _'This damned woman again?!'_

"You ungrateful little letch!" Victoria screamed. Her voice unpleasantly shrill. What Kiran knew could be a deceptively compelling tone completely distorted by rage.

 _'Ugh.'_ Kiran thought, her aunt was crazy in a very literal sense.

"What is it this time?" Kiran questioned, venom laced her voice as she rubbed her cheek. _'Damned this woman can hit!'_

"I was kind enough to take you in after your parents died!"

 _'Because it would damage your reputation if you didn't.'_

"Then I named you heir to the Burstein fortune!"

 _'Because you have no other children.'_

"Then I tried to find you a suitable husband!"

 _'You did that to sell me off, you delusional old hag!'_

"And yet you've rejected another marriage proposal!" Kiran understandably glared as her aunt finished her rant.

"I'm not going so grovel at some spoiled rich boy's feet and spend my life acting demure and helpless." She said calmly, not betraying her loathing for the woman.

' _If there's absolutely no chance I'd waste my life acting on your whims.'_

Victoria got ready to slap Kiran again but as Victoria's hand was about to collide with her face she caught it. Kiran continued her reply with a steady determination, "And I am not helpless."

Kiran released Victoria's hand and was about to leave, when Victoria slapped her, this time with enough force that Kiran was knocked to the ground.

Two men came in behind Victoria and grabbed Kiran's arms.

* * *

 **I know Kiran is a bit of a spoiled brat right now, but she has her reasons, and that's what character development is for, right?**

 **Review?**


	2. Chapter 1 What The Hell

Chapter 1: What The Hell?!

Her aunt's men gagged her and tied her hands and knocked her out. Sharp pain filled her senses, radiating from the back of her head, before he vision blackened and she fell into darkness.

Kiran was greeted with the chill of ice water dumped over her, soaking her clothes and hair. Kiran shot up from her forced slumber to see her aunt, not exactly a welcome sight. Victoria grabbed her by her hair and pulled her out of the trunk. Her head throbbed at and she was surprised that her hair hadn't gotten ripped out. It still only served to intensify the sharp pain in her head.

"Urgh!" Kiran grunted in pain, the sound muffled by the gag, when she hit gravel, leaving dots of blood all over her exposed skin. Thankfully she was wearing jeans, but that didn't make it feel any better. She didn't have time to calm herself though, before her aunt dragged her on the ground and tossed her into a speed boat.

 _'What? Is she gonna leave me stranded?'_ That theory was discarded when Victoria got on the boat with her.

When the boat stopped, there was not a sliver of land to be seen. Kiran only just registered this before Victoria grabbed her by her hair and leaned her over the edge of the boat. Kiran had to shift all her weight onto her back not to fall in. Victoria harshly ripped the gag off of Kiran, rubbing her cheeks in an unpleasant way.

"What the hell are you doing you crazy old hag!?" Kiran yelled, her spirit certainly not deterred by all of the discomfort. The very nearly winced at her own voice, though, as the volume only intensified the sting in her head. This was crazy, her aunt was crazy. It wasn't that Kiran didn't already know that, but would she really kill her? Wasn't she at least afraid for her reputation?

 _'No, She has enough money to bribe someone, if need be, to keep whatever she's about to do a secret.'_

"I gave you a chance to make yourself useful, but I'm pregnant!" Oh, no. "I don't need you anymore you worthless little whore!" Her aunt was about to drop her over when she hastily said, "Wait, I have something to say!"

She leaned closer, probably expecting a sorry and then acceptance of marriage to a complete stranger, but instead, "I only hope that your child doesn't grow up to be like you. You. Delusional. Hag." Because if Kiran was going down, she would _at least_ make sure she got the last word. Unfortunately, now, her stubbornness would quite literally be the end of her.

Then Victoria dropped her and the person driving the boat sped off. Kiran started to lose the breath that she had just barely managed to suck in and struggled to swim to the surface with the awful pain in her head and aching of her body. Then she sucked in a breath when she got to the surface, only to end up right back under. She could hardly tread water, or swim properly, or stay above very long with her injuries making her movements painful and sluggish, but she had a chance. Even if she was injured, and even with no land in sight. The only options were, give in or fight like hell, and there was only one she could- would consider, because she wasn't one to give in. Besides, she would save that child from that woman's influence, if it was the last thing she did.

' _Yes, that child. That child- my cousin. My…family.'_

Suddenly a hand grabbed her and she reflexively gasped in shock, before quickly closing her mouth. When she looked down she saw… _'An angel?!'_

"Use your instinct, fight the corruption, and save the past from its future, find what you want, where you really belong."

Kiran gaped again, the rest of her air releasing from her lungs, only one thought in her mind as everything faded to black, _'What the HELL?!'_

…

 **Hope you liked it, and don't worry, Ramses will be here soon.**


	3. Chapter 2 I'm In Trouble

Chapter 2: I'm In Trouble

Kiran could feel air, but wait, didn't she just drown? Kiran began to cough up all of the water that had invaded her lungs, not even bothering to open her eyes. When she could finally breathe properly, she sucked in a huge gulp of air. The air burned her throat, but she couldn't care less so long as it was air, it just proved that she was alive.

Kiran slowly opened her eyes, only to shoot straight up from her position on the ground at what she saw. _'What, am I dreaming? No, my throat hurts too much for this to be a dream.'_ She was standing next to a river, with many old fashioned boats sitting at docks that surrounded said river. There were many mud-brick houses and the overall look of the place gave her a nagging feeling in the back of her head. _'Don't I know this architecture…Ancient…Egypt?'_

This was a bit too much to be happening all at once. Kiran looked at the people everywhere, making sure she was out of sight. She could already see that she would stand out. She was wearing modern clothing in an ancient city, her eyes were blue and her hair was gold, which stood out even more under the bright sun. She couldn't stay unnoticed for long.

Kiran's thoughts were interrupted by a scream, she instinctively ran towards the sound, forgetting to keep hidden. Kiran stumbled upon a man pinning a woman up against a building. _'Why, why isn't anyone doing anything? Why, why does no one ever do anything?'_

Kiran hesitated, chanting in her head, _'No, no, don't get involved. I will live my life doing what I want, I have to live, can't get involved, because they would want me to…'_

The woman shrieked again and Kiran's resolve to stay out of danger broke to her strong need to help.

 _'Damned it!'_

"Hey you!" Kiran shouted, she had to get involved if no one else would. The man turned around, an annoyed and drowsy look on his face. _'Drunk.'_ His expression turned into a leer when he caught sight of Kiran. He released the woman pinning and she ran off.

 _'Well, can't really blame her for running, I almost didn't help her and I actually have the power to help.'_ Kiran also knew that she was braver than others…or maybe just more reckless.

"Why don-cha keep a soldr company?" The man slurred. _'Yep, drunk.'_ Kiran confirmed.

"If you're a soldier why don't you act with some dignity?" Kiran provoked, yeah, reckless. The man grew annoyed and reached for her. Kiran avoided his grip and brought her knee to his stomach, making him double over. Kiran then backed up and kicked her right leg up in a high kick and brought her foot down on his head. The man fell down and Kiran ran. She caused a commotion like she thought she would, but it was about more than just her appearance.

Kiran kept running until she bumped into something…or someone? Kiran looked up from her positon on the ground, only be met with a pair of heterochromatic eyes.

…

 **Review?**


	4. Chapter 3 Meeting The General

Chapter 3: Meeting The General

 _'Whoa, heterochromatic eyes.'_ Kiran looked at the man's eyes in awe. Then, after letting her eyes take in his full appearance, not only noticed how gorgeous he was, though that was a thought, but noticed the sword at his hip. Kiran's eyes widened in realization, _'Soldier.'_

Kiran shot up, spun around and was about to run when the man caught her wrist.

"Let go!" Kiran growled. "I don't think I deserve to be arrested for what I did! Soldiers should act with some dignity anyway, you can't blame me for kicking him when he wouldn't let that poor woman be!" That was when her arm was released and she fell forward, luckily managing to retain some of her dignity by landing on her hands and knees and not her face. She looked up to the soldier to see a smirk on his face.

"General Ramses!" A voice shouted out.

 _'General…'_ The first word was surprising, but his name was more so. _'RAMSES?! Like, the famous king of Egypt, that Ramses?!'_ Kiran was a hundred percent sure that she was gawking, that being made even worse by the fact that she was soaked to the bone sitting on the ground, and looked like a complete idiot. She managed to regain her composure long enough to stand up and close her mouth, but her eyes were still as wide as saucers.

"Are you all right general Ramses, Isn't that the woman who beat up a soldier?" The soldier greeted and then asked.

"I heard that she had a good reason for it." Ramses said, smirk still on his face. Was he defending her? Then came the question that she would regret answering for the rest of her life. "Where are you from?"

* * *

Ramses was sure that this strange woman wasn't from Egypt, judging from her appearance, though the fact that she had no idea who he was, was also an indicator. Then, she started laughing, which he wasn't expecting at all.

"I-I'm sorry-It's just-I so-am so tired-of that-question." The woman got out between giggles. Then she took a minute to compose herself. "Ahem, well, do you want the long or the short answer?" Ramses was fairly certain that what she meant was that she had traveled a lot.

"The short answer." Ramses responded.

"Well, I was born in Japan." The woman answered and the country automatically clicked in Ramses brain, not from around here indeed. Japan was the country Yuri came from. He thought it ironic, both that the two strangest women he had met came from the same place, and that he could never seem to escape the memory of Yuri.

"Japan, you say?" Ramses confirmed.

"...Yes." The woman said hesitantly, probably picking up on Ramses' curious tone.

* * *

Kiran knew that it was very possible that she had gotten herself into yet another unfortunate situation.

"Seti, take her back to my house and arrange a meeting with Mursili." She could gather from Ramses' tone that he trusted Seti a great deal, but she was surprised that her brain was even able to pick up that detail with its panicked state.

 _'What?! This is even worse than being arrested, and I have to find out how to get back! Or wait, do I, is there even anything left there for me?'_

Regardless, Kiran knew that her chances of getting out of this were very unlikely. Even if she was strong for her time period, Seti was a trained soldier, and the only reason she got out of her previous fight without a scratch was because the guy she fought was drunk.

Ramses continued to walk, probably having some business to attend to, and Seti waited to walk, seeing if she would walk or if he would have to drag her. Kiran chose the former and began to walk, Seti coming up alongside her.

* * *

Seti wasn't sure about this strange foreign woman, she didn't seem like a threat, but he knew never to judge by appearances.

"He trusts you a lot." The woman said out of nowhere. "I only say that because it's nice to know when someone values you, and General Ramses doesn't seem like the kind of person to openly show it." Seti felt a kind of pride in hearing this, and a sneaking suspicion that this woman was smarter than he thought.

"You must be quite something to be able to tell that in such short time." Seti tried, testing to see what her answer would be.

"Not really, if anything you're the amazing one, people like him don't trust easily."

"Are you trying to coax me into trusting you?" Seti questioned. The woman snorted.

"Please, I can tell that you're absolutely loyal to General Ramses, if I really did try to get you to betray him you would cut me down without a second thought."

"I didn't say anything about you trying to get me to betray him."

"It's obvious, foreigner shows up out of nowhere, wearing strange clothing and acting strangely. Then, she literally bumps into an important General? I'd be suspicious too." They didn't talk for the rest of the way back to Ramses' residence.

Yes, this woman was strange, and perceptive, and Seti couldn't tell if she was smart or an idiot, but she had a similar aura around her. What was the aura he felt? Dare he say it was...the aura of a leader?

* * *

 **Finally, some Ramses scenes! I hope you like Seti too!**


	5. Chapter 4 Meeting Another Famous King?

**Finally, it gets more interesting.**

* * *

Chapter 4: Meeting Another Famous King?!

By the time Ramses had come back to his residence Kiran had been waiting for a very long time and she was so bored.

She had tried striking up a conversation with Seti, but Seti didn't really trust her yet, and so he only gave short, vague answers. Then Kiran asked if she could look around, and of course the answer was 'no'. Then Kiran asked if she could have some paper and a pencil and Seti looked at her like she was crazy, that was when she remembered that at this time paper was extremely expensive. After that she just gave up on doing anything and stared off into space, thinking back into her past.

The first memory that came to mind was the day her parents died. She was fifteen years old and had just gotten home from school. This was all before she really knew her aunt, or before she had begun street fighting, or before she had even heard about the country she was supposed to rule. She remembered picking up the phone and she remembered the phone slipping from her grasp when she heard the news, that part was very blurry for her. She had wandered off after and remembered finding herself in an alley somewhere, tears streaming down her face. She had probably screamed until her throat was sore before just running out of her house, it wasn't like there was anyone left to notice her absence. Some sleaze bag had tried to flirt with her and when he made a move on her she elbowed him in the stomach and punched him in the face. That was when she had found out that, oddly enough, beating the crap out of the guy had made her feel a bit better. She supposed that was when she started street fighting, ironic really, considering how much her parents hated violence.

Ramses walked in before she could reach into her past any further, which was a huge relief, she knew first hand that things went downhill rather quickly after that.

* * *

Ramses had walked in to see Seti was keeping a close eye on the woman and she seemed to be thinking very hard about something.

"My name is Kiran, by the way." The woman, Kiran, said randomly.

"I didn't ask." Ramses replied, coolly.

"Yep, and you weren't going to either, so I figured that I would just tell you." Seti and Ramses both narrowed their eyes at her. Was she being mocking, or funny, or maybe just stupid? He couldn't tell, and that in itself was odd. Ramses prided himself on being able to tell people's intentions, but with Kiran he couldn't tell. Was it because she didn't have any intentions? And if that was true, did that make her innocent, or just an idiot?

"Can you tell me where Japan is exactly?" Ramses inquired, not particularly curious, but he was curious of how she would answer it. He wanted to see if he could pick up anything about her or her intentions, if she actually did have any.

"Well, it's about…too far away to sail to."

"That's very vague." Ramses said bluntly.

"Well, I'm not sure of the exact distance. By the way-"The woman smirked. "if you want to know my intentions, why not just ask?"

* * *

Kiran knew it was a bad idea to mess with Ramses, especially with the situation, but she honestly couldn't resist. It was almost funny how his eyes narrowed at her in suspicion, or maybe it was annoyance, he was always glowering at her so it was hard to tell.

* * *

Ramses was at least now certain of one thing, whether this woman was an idiot or not, innocent or not, she was perceptive. She had taken a simple question and seen the hidden reasoning behind his asking so easily, too easily. She was interesting, in an odd, uncertain way. Ramses was now wondering once again if she had any intentions or not, if those intentions were innocent or not, and if she was an idiot or not. He absentmindedly wondered if it would always be that way, wondered if he would always be trying to figure her out, but it was just a passing thought.

"There is a woman named Yuri, she is the Queen of Hittite and the supposed reincarnation of Ishtar." Ramses began.

"Oh, so it's story time now?" Kiran seemed amused, the thought slightly irked Ramses, but he ignored it and continued.

"Yuri also came from a place called Japan." Kiran dropped her amused look and a new look appeared in its stead, she was shocked. Kiran stared back at Ramses, wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

* * *

 _'Well, shit.'_ Kiran thought. _'Does that mean that she also traveled back in time, I mean, Japan doesn't exist in this time, or at least it isn't called Japan.'_

Kiran tried to collect herself, but found that her eyes wouldn't return to their original size and her jaw was still slack from the initial shock. She probably looked like a fish with her gaping, not the most attractive look, then again, why should she care? After finally composing herself, Kiran found the will to talk.

"Would it…" She paused, knowing that she was going to sound even more stupid then she had been sounding. "be wrong to say that I don't believe you?"

…

Whatever answer Ramses was expecting, it certainly wasn't that. Was she playing dumb, or was she actually being serious? Was it so hard to believe that someone else had come from this faraway place called Japan, or was she afraid of being caught in a lie?

"We are going to meet up with her and the King of Hittite, you can confirm it then."

* * *

 _'Yeah,'_ she thought bitterly. _'And you can also take the chance to figure out if I'm lying about where I come from, clever bastard.'_

"I don't like it when people try to cover up ulterior motives, I already know our main reason for meeting them." Kiran said flatly.

 _'Although, there must be more of a reason than that, why go to all the trouble?'_

* * *

 _'She probably figured out that I'm trying to catch her in a lie, but also, if she isn't lying, there could be a problem. Yuri was brought from Japan because the previous queen, Nikita was using her in a sacrifice, is that why this woman is here?'_

"We will be leaving tomorrow to meet with Mursili." Ramses said and walked out. He was now absolutely sure that Kiran was more clever than he initially thought, and if she did have ill intentions, that could be dangerous.

* * *

 _'Did he say…Mursili?! The famous King of Hittite? Oh, hell.'_ For once, Kiran was cursing her historical knowledge, it was really making things confusing. What she didn't know, was that this was just the beginning or a long adventure.

* * *

 **I switched POVs a lot during that. I was kind of sad not to write more with Seti, I like writing him.**

 **Please leave I comment so I can see what you think.**


	6. Chapter 5 I'm So BoredOr Not

**Sorry to Himeno Kazehito, Kiran won't be meeting Kail or Yuri just yet.**

…

Chapter 5: I am so bored…or not

So, now they were on a boat headed to Byblos, the port city where they would be meeting Mursili and Yuri, and, once again, Kiran was bored. Yeah, Kiran got bored way too easily, but come on, she was stuck in the past, and so shouldn't things be a bit more interesting? Seti still wouldn't hold an actual conversation with her, and Ramses was still being a jerk general. She had somehow managed not to drift off into her memories, her usual habit when she was this bored. She had, thankfully, gotten some new clothes. A mini toga type outfit, but it was better than wearing a floor length dress in her opinion. Half a day had passed since they got on the boat, and Ramses had told her that the whole trip was three days, hell if she was going to stay put and do nothing.

"Hey, Seti."

"What?" Seti asked.

"Can you teach me-" Kiran pointed at Seti's sword. "How to-"

"No."

"Aw, come on. I'm so bored and I have nothing to do, and you won't talk to me, so-"

"Yes," Seti said. "and if I won't even talk to you, what makes you think that I'll teach you how to use a sword?"

"Just teach her." Ramses said...wait, Ramses? Seti and Kiran both turned towards the general.

"What?" Kiran and Seti both asked, completely taken aback.

"You can teach her." When Kiran got a chance to actually take in his tone and expression, she finally got it.

' _Translation;'_ She thought bitterly _. 'This boat is full of trained soldiers, so there's really nothing to worry about.'_ She was seething at his underestimating her, but she supposed it was a good thing, she might need a few surprises for later.

…

Ramses knew that if it came down to it, the boat was full of trained soldiers that could easily take her down, and also, he was interested to see what she could do.

…

Kiran spent the remainder of the day trying to learn how to use the sword...and failing miserably. She had thought that since she was good at hand to hand combat, swordplay wouldn't be so hard to learn, right? She was sorely mistaken. After training with Seti, she was littered with cuts and bruises and, honestly, utterly exhausted. Seti certainly hadn't gone easy on her for being a girl, she should find it as a good sign that he hadn't gone easy on her, right? Wrong, it didn't mean she was actually any good, it just meant that Seti wasn't the type to take it easy. In all honesty, she sucked. She couldn't hold the sword right, or get the stance right, or really do anything right, it was pathetic.

Kiran saw Ramses smirk at her, he was standing tall, and she was so exhausted that she couldn't get up from the ground. No, when was she ever the type to give up so easily? She wasn't. With all she had been through, she was tough as nails. She was going to learn the sword, and her motivation was right there; smirk pulling on the corner of his lips, amusement twinkling in his eyes. Kiran shot a glare at Ramses before getting up, although she stumbled a bit, and faced Seti.

"Can we continue tomorrow?" Kiran asked and Seti looked taken aback before replying.

"Yes." Kiran noticed that Ramses wasn't surprised at all, but she thought that she must have just seen wrong.

…

What Ramses saw was, honestly, not what he expected. Kiran had little talent in swordplay, actually, none at all. Yet, she had still spent nearly half a day trying, despite not really getting any better, she was persistent. Kiran's persistence despite her...lack of talent in using the sword had thoroughly amused and, if he were being honest, intrigued Ramses. Most people would give up after finding something to be so hard to learn. There was, after all, absolutely no improvement between when she had started and the end of the day. Kiran hadn't given up though, in fact, she just seemed to get more determined as the training went on.

When Kiran had literally collapsed of exhaustion, Ramses knew that she had reached her limit for the day, but, that was for the day. He was sure that she would get up and continue tomorrow, it was painfully obvious to him, after all, he is even more prideful than she is. Ramses decided that all she needed was a little push to get back on her feet, he smirked down at her. Once she realized his smirk, she sent a glare his way and got up.

"Can we continue tomorrow?" Well, at this moment, he had actually been able to understand her perfectly, that was a first.

…

The next day Kiran woke up bright and early, or more like she was forced to wake up bright and early. Seti had gone and literally tugged her out of bed, tugged her! Kiran was extremely sore from the grueling training the day before and just barely managed to get out of the room she was staying in. Then, she saw Ramses, smug smirk and amused eyed, looking over at her. That had renewed her determination in a flash and by the time the day was half over, she had finally gotten the stance down. It ended up taking the other half of the day before she had finally grasped how to hold the sword right, after getting that down though, it became a lot easier. The entire day had gone by in a flash really, so much for being bored, three days would be up before she knew it. Then again, fighting always did keep her entertained, didn't it? Kiran frowned at the unwelcome thought and found that after thinking that, she just couldn't sleep.

Kiran walked up to the deck of the ship with her sword, she was thoroughly surprised that Ramses even let her keep it with her, maybe he had more faith in her than she thought. No, that couldn't be it. She decided to practice swinging the sword, because, even after learning how to wield it properly and the proper stance to take, she still couldn't swing it right.

…

Ramses had gone up onto the deck to find that someone was already occupying it. Kiran was practicing the sword, this was a new level of determination he had yet to see from her. Despite having no natural talent for swordplay, she had managed to make up for it with raw effort. She was actually getting fairly good, or at least fairly ok. He considered helping her, but he decided to see what she could do on her own. What would be the fun in showing her how to do it, he'd rather let her figure it out herself.

…

Seti didn't even have to wake Kiran up the next day, she had gotten up all on her own...well actually she just hadn't slept. Strangely enough though, she felt perfectly energized. Kiran had stayed up until she perfected her swing, which of course for her meant staying up all night. She was ready to fight, and she was determined.

By the end of the day, Kiran had actually gotten good at using the sword, and good was a tremendous improvement. Kiran would keep practicing though, she wasn't going to settle for good, she was reaching for great. She looked over at Ramses, he had on his usual expression, same amused eyes and signature smirk. If Kiran hadn't been so perceptive, she was sure that she wouldn't have caught it, but Ramses smirk, it seemed...different. His smirk seemed, less taunting and more, knowing, maybe? Or, was it...impressed? Naw, that couldn't be it.

…

Of all the possibilities Ramses had thought up for Kiran's little endeavor into learning swordsmanship, he never thought that she would get that good, and that look on her face showed him that she had no intention of stopping there. He couldn't help but be ever so slightly impressed, she was indeed interesting...

Ramses looked over to see that Kiran was laying down, completely knocked out from exhaustion.

...and also, very possibly, a complete idiot.

…

 **So, Ramses is still trying to figure her out...poor Ramses.**

 **I decided to have Kiran's and Ramses' Relationship develop a bit slowly, because, as you can see, Kiran is very different from Yuri. Also, I can't imagine either Kiran or Ramses falling for each other that fast.**

 **Comment and tell me how I'm doing, your reviews help me to keep writing.**


	7. Chapter 6 Here At Last

Chapter 6: Here At Last

They were there at last, they were finally in Byblos. Not that Kiran would know, she was in an exhausted sleep on the deck of the ship. Ramses eyebrow twitched in annoyance, how could she even fall asleep there? She just dropped her guard and fell asleep out in the open, furthermore, how was it possible that she came to be so exhausted in the first place. Ramses thought back to when he saw her on the deck, in the middle of the night, practicing the sword.

Ramses looked down at her sleeping form and really looked at her for once. He had been so constantly annoyed with her before that he didn't notice until now, she was beautiful. Her hair was dark gold and her skin was tanned, her figure was curvy despite her small stature. He knew that behind those long, dark eyelashes that rested over her closed eyelids, her eyes were a sparkling ocean blue. Yes, there was no denying the woman's good looks, but it wasn't her looks that Ramses had a problem with, it was her annoying attitude.

"Wake up." Ramses said down at Kiran. Kiran didn't budge, she just rolled onto her side.

"Mmm, five more minutes." Kiran mumbled. Ramses narrowed his eyes, this woman was getting on his last nerve. Ramses took his, still sheathed, sword and tapped Kiran on the head.

"Ow!"

* * *

Kiran was mumbling obscenities as she walked off the boat, Ramses right in front of her. He had hit her, hit her, on the head with a sword. Sure, it was still in its sheath, but it was a sword none-the-less. Needless to say that Kiran was not happy. Currently, Kiran was cursing Ramses under her breath while mentally playing out what would happen if she just pushed him into the Nile, surely no one would miss a jerk like him.

What really annoyed Kiran, was that there were so little insults she could come up with for Ramses without sounding like a total brat. She had almost zero actual, valid insults to throw at him. She couldn't call him ugly, because that was a flat out lie, nor could she call him stupid, or incompetent. So, what could she call him? Well, for now, she had settled on just calling him a jerk.

"So," Kiran inquired. "How long exactly before we meet this king?"

"We will meet him tomorrow." Ramses replied.

' _Seriously, tomorrow? Why the heck did they get here so early? And, more importantly, what was she supposed to do in the meantime?'_ Kiran could of course practice her sword skills, but that would only occupy some of her time, and she was easily bored.

' _Maybe…'_

' _ **No, you shouldn't.'**_

' _But, maybe…'_

' _ **No, it's a really bad idea.'**_

' _If I could just…'_

' _ **NO.'**_

' _...Give Ramses and Seti the slip…'_

' _ **Are you insane?!'**_

' _Then, maybe I could have some fun.'_

' _ **Why do I even try?'**_

Kiran settled for ignoring her conscience telling her it was a bad idea, and waited a bit before quietly slipping away from Ramses and Seti, this was bound to relieve her boredom.

…

Seti had looked back sometime later to check on how Kiran was doing. He didn't really dislike the girl, she didn't seem like a threat, and bits of her reminded him of Ramses. They both had boundless determination, overwhelming pride, and something else that Seti couldn't place just yet. When Seti turned around, he stopped in his tracks. Oh, no.

' _Did she…?'_

* * *

Ramses also turned around shortly after to see the reason as to why Seti had stopped walking and was furious at what he saw. Kiran had ran off to god knows where.

' _That annoying woman ran off!'_

* * *

Kiran was grinning from ear to ear thinking about how angry Ramses would be when he found out that she had ran off. She felt a bit bad about leaving Seti to deal with him though, Kiran actually liked Seti, he was nice and had an admirable loyalty. In Kiran's opinion, a jerk like Ramses didn't deserve such a nice person like Seti.

Kiran's grin vanished at what she saw next, don't worry, it wasn't absolutely terrible, just sad. A bunch of Hittite kids were ignoring an Egyptian kid.

"We don't want to play with an Egyptian." One of the Hittite kids sneered. Some people may think, 'what's the big deal? It's not that bad', those people had probably never been left out because of their appearance before. This kind of thing really got on Kiran's nerves, she had no tolerance for bullying.

"Hey!" Kiran shouted and all of the kids looked up. Kiran walked over to the kids. "You guys," Kiran glared at the Hittite kids. "first of all, all of you talking down to the Egyptian kid, how would you like in if the situation were reversed?" The boys flinched a bit at her words. "You should be ashamed, at least he's making an effort to get along."

"We…" One kid tried to answer before looking down to the ground in shame.

"Look," Kiran's voice softened. "maybe the Hittite and Egyptians were enemies before, but you're at peace now. You respect King Mursili right?" Kiran asked and all of the Hittite kids nodded. "Well, he was the one who arranged the peace, so he must have wanted you all to get along right?" All of the kids nodded and Kiran let a smile touch her face. "And you," Kiran turned to the Egyptian kid and he looked at her wide-eyed. "I'm going to give you an important task, alright?" Kiran asked and the Egyptian kid nodded. "Try to make sure that all Egyptian kids are as open to peace as you."

"Yes ma'am." The Egyptian kid answered and Kiran began to walk away.

"Miss," One of the Hittite kids called out and Kiran looked back. "what's your name?" Kiran smiled at him.

"Kiran." Kiran answered and walked away to a chorus of thank-yous. She was now sure that running off was a good idea.

* * *

A bit later, Kiran had stumbled onto a similar situation as before, except instead of kids fighting, it was two adults, one Egyptian and One Hittite. They were both throwing insults back and forth and Kiran scowled at the scene, no wonder those kids were acting so bad if this is what they were constantly exposed to.

"Hey!" Kiran shouted out, her angry and annoyed voice on the verge of a growl. The two men looked over to her in annoyance. "Stop your annoying yapping and just be quiet for a damned second!" Obviously both men were surprised because they both stopped arguing. Kiran wasn't sure if their shock came from her being a woman yelling at them, or her near growling voice. "Stop arguing, I just saw a bunch of kids not getting along just because they were of different countries! You guys have an effect on the younger generation, so you had better set a good damned example!" Kiran loved kids, so having them being effected by all of the adults bickering has set her off very quickly. The guys had a little while of shocked silence before speaking again.

"It was him who started it!" they both shouted and Kiran nearly face-palmed. What, was this second grade or something?

"Shut it! It's both your fault, it takes two people to start an argument! You're both men, right? So own up to it!" Whoever said that yelling doesn't solve a thing had obviously never met Kiran. Those two men were looking at her like she was a ten foot tall monster instead of a 5'3 tall girl. "You know," Kiran began and the men shook out of their stupor. "I bet that you guys have lot more in common than you think." Kiran started to ponder her own words, they had to have something in common, right?

"Me and him," The Egyptian snorted. "you've got to be kidding."

"I was about to say the same thing." The Hittite agreed.

"Yet you just agreed on something." Kiran grinned. The Egyptian and Hittite looked horrified at the realization, Kiran nearly laughed at that.

' _Let's see, what to guys like to do...ah! I've got it.'_

"You guy like making bets?" The two met nodded reluctantly. "Alright, how about…" Kiran picked up a weird fruit and stood on top of a barrel. "How long do you think i can stand on one leg while balancing this on my head?"

"That's ridiculous." The Egyptian said.

"Yeah." The Hittite agreed and the two men proceeded to glare at each other.

"Just try it." Kiran prodded. The two met reluctantly agreed and placed wagers.

"Ten seconds." The Hittite man said.

"Bet it'll be more like five." The Egyptian snorted. Kiran managed to balance like that for forty seconds, her new personal record.

"Unbelievable." They both said. After a while, Kiran had drawn a crowd. People were betting and chatting left and right. Both Hittite and Egyptians had gathered, and what's more, they were actually getting along. Kiran got in balancing position again.

"Thirty seconds!"

"Twenty!"

"Fifty." Ramses added in...wait…

"Oh, crap."

* * *

 **What will Kiran do now that Ramses caught her? Oh well, she had it coming.**

 **Mika1617: Thanks, I thought so too, I would hate myself if I wrote this so Kiran was tripping all over herself for Ramses attention.**

 **Sammiec: Thanks a lot, it's really nice to receive a review like this every once in a while.**


	8. Chapter 7 Leaders

Chapter 7: Leaders

Ramses had eventually convinced Seti to look for Kiran separately from him, though it took a while to convince him that he would be fine. Ramses could tell that Seti was worried for Kiran and Ramses couldn't deny that he was worried too, but more than he was worried, Ramses was extremely annoyed. That woman and her damned boredom. Ramses hadn't known Kiran long, but he knew why she had ran off. The reason? Sheer boredom.

After Ramses had searched for a while, mumbling obscenities under his breath the entire time, he had decided on a hunch to go where the most commotion was. As he expected, there Kiran was. What wasn't exactly expected; she was balancing a fruit on her head. People were beginning to gather and make bets on how long she could keep the fruit on her head. Annoyed as Ramses was at the woman, Ramses couldn't help but let an amused smirk settle on his face.

"What's going on?" Ramses managed to keep his tone blank, despite his growing amusement, as he asked the man in front of him.

"Betting on how long the girl can keep that fruit on her head while only standing on one leg. You should have seen her earlier," The man snorted. "came over and yelled at two men, telling them not to fight just because of their countries. They both looked terrified, never knew a woman could shout like that." The man rambled his answer, never even sparing a glance back at Ramses.

After the fruit fell, Kiran set herself back up in position. Men shouted out times and Ramses nearly scoffed, he could already tell that the woman could balance for longer.

"Fifty." Ramses said, smirking at Kiran's shocked look when she realized him.

* * *

"Oh crap." Kiran mumbled.

 _'What was I expecting? I knew this would happen at some point.'_

Kiran proceeded to balance, not letting Ramses appearance stop her after she had already started. Once again she found herself using that infuriating smirk to fuel her resolve, but instead of wanting to prove him wrong, she wanted to prove him right. For some reason it felt a little like she wanted him to be proud of her, to know that she could do it...naw, it was probably just that she wanted to prove that she could beat his prediction. One minute and six seconds, aka, sixteen seconds more than that infuriating general had predicted. Kiran smirked back at Ramses before realizing that she should probably do something, and right now her fight or flight response was pushing her towards _flight_.

"Well, sorry, but the bets are over, I'm gonna go-" Then Kiran didn't even spare a second before she dashed off through the crowd in the opposite direction of Ramses. Ramses proceeded to run through the crowd after her while the men just looked severely confused, and who could blame them? It was abrupt and unexpected, to say the least.

Kiran continued to run until she bumped into something for the second time since she had traveled back in time, but hey, it was dark out.

 _'I really hope this doesn't become a regular thing…'_ Kiran groaned at the impact that had made her fall on her butt in the dirt for the- once again- second time since her arrival in Ancient Egypt.

"Are you all-" Kiran looked up in shock, Seti looked down with shock. "Kiran?!" Seti exclaimed. A rush of emotions came over his features faster than she thought possible; guilt, confusion, shock, annoyance, before settling on relief.

"Ah…" Kiran struggled with what to say next before settling on a simple apology. "Sorry for worrying you." Seti held a hand out to help Kiran up and she gladly accepted it.

"I never said I was worried." Seti said as Kiran proceeded to dust herself off.

"It showed on your face." Kiran said. "And..." Kiran started hesitantly. "Thanks, for worrying about me."

"If you're sorry for worrying him then you probably shouldn't have run off in the first place." Ramses' voice reached Kiran's ears and she groaned.

 _'Crap, I'm going to get lectured aren't I?'_

* * *

Seti couldn't help but feel bad for Kiran as Ramses lectured her.

"-and you do realize that if someone did bring you here that they could still be trying to get their hands on you."

"Yes, mother." Kiran rolled her eyes.

"Do you ever actually consider the consequences of your actions?"

"Look, I get it already." Kiran sighed exasperatedly. "I heard you the first _billion_ times; 'Don't run off', 'you could be in danger', 'do you know how much time I've wasted looking for you, you annoying woman'." Kiran rolled her eyes again at her last quote.

Seti couldn't help but smile at the scene before him. His general rarely got so annoyed and he rarely talked like that to a woman. And Kiran seemed like the type to keep herself a bit more guarded, yet she was open with Ramses, if mildly confusing.

It was...Interesting.

* * *

The next morning Kiran experienced a rather unpleasant wake up call. In fact, she could say that after that morning, she most certainly preferred the tap on her head with a sword. So, what was this godawful waking experience?

Sopping wet...Kiran was sopping wet and ice cold.

"Why the flip would you pour ice water on my head you jerk general!?" Kiran explained angrily to the smirking, and dry, figure in front of her.

"You weren't waking up." Ramses said, smirk still tugging on his lips.

"Bull. Shit. You didn't even try!" Kiran swung a fist out to hit the infuriating general, which he dodged with ease. It continued like that for a while, Kiran trying to punch Ramses and him dodging.

"By the way," Ramses started. "You may want to change. The water appears to have made your outfit see through." Kiran looked down and blushed crimson before picking up a vase and throwing it at Ramses, only to have it shatter against the wall and its shards splayed across the floor.

"Get out!" Kiran yelled and Ramses walked calmly out the door whistling. Freaking. Whistling!

After calming down Kiran sighed and went to take a bath, politely refusing when the maids tried to help her, and then just yelling when they refused to listen.

* * *

Ramses had found the whole situation highly amusing to say the least. Kiran was right about him not trying to wake her before drenching her in ice cold water, but he reasoned to himself that it was due punishment for running off the previous day. He had been slightly surprised when she had tried to punch him, but even more surprised at how much power he could see she put behind it and was immensely glad that he had dodged.

He had resisted the urge to stare when he noticed her clothing's...state. Instead he had decided to tease her a bit and tell her. Her face had turned crimson in an instant and Ramses almost thought she would faint with how flustered she was. He didn't necessarily expect the vase that was thrown at him, but he wasn't particularly surprised either. He walked out of the room whistling specifically to anger her, though he knew he was being slightly cruel about the whole situation.

Overall, Ramses admits, it was fun.

* * *

'The nerve!' Kiran seethed as she scrubbed at her skin, she hadn't bathed in four days, after all. _'The audacity, the insolence, the impudence, the-the...jerkiness!'_ Kiran once again resorted to using her favorite word for the general to insult him in her head. _'Yeah, the jerkiness! All the other words just made me seem like a priss, and while I may be a bit of a brat, I am not a priss!'_

Kiran got out of the bath after assuring herself that she was clean and just put on a bit of scented oil so that she wouldn't reek of sweat in the insane heat. Then she got dressed in the same boyish, informal attire that she had gotten used to wearing in the four days since she came to the past. She didn't care if she was meeting a king or not, no one in the world could convince her to wear a dress for more than two hours without insane amounts of bribery, and even if the jerk general tried, she would say no just to piss him off. When she walked out she saw Seti waiting for her.

"Time to go already?" Kiran asked.

"Yeah." Seti said, never one to actually say more than necessary, unless it was about Ramses, his precious general. Come to think of it, everyone she had met so far seemed to have nothing but respect for the general, it made her wonder…

"Hey, Seti?" Kiran said and stopped walking.

"Yes?" Seti asked, stopping and turning around to face her.

"What…" Kiran started, a bit reluctantly. "What kind of person is Ramses?" Seti looked positively dumbfounded, whether it be from Kiran's sudden sheepishness, a far cry from her reckless and blunt attitude, or the fact that she would ask that, she couldn't really tell.

"Uh," Seti said, snapping out of his shock. "Well, he's a bit of a womanizer and also a bit arrogant." Kiran snorted, ain't that the truth. "But," Seti continued and Kiran was intrigued by the sheer admiration in his voice. "he's an amazing leader. He cares about his country and its people." Kiran thought of his extreme caution of her and her sudden arrival. "and he always pushed people to their full potential," Kiran thought of Ramses and his infuriating smirks as she struggled to learn the sword. "and I know that he will achieve his goal, and bring stability to all of Egypt." Then, Kiran was reminded of King Ramses from the future, the one she had only read about in her history book.

 _'A leader, huh? Yes, that man has the potential to become more than I could ever be, and the drive to turn that potential into reality.'_

A small smile graced Kiran's lips, "I don't doubt it." she said before walking on.

 _'I wonder, I never thought that there was an actual reason for me to go back, but, maybe...maybe I was too hasty in refusing to rule Fleming. Maybe, just maybe, I could try my hand at being a leader, in living for someone else again, instead of just myself.'_

* * *

 **And a little something extra for ya~ Happy Halloween**

A thought struck Kiran as they made their way to, well, wherever they were meeting Mursili.

' _Seti, Seti, where have I heard that name before? Somewhere in my textbook definitely…'_ Kiran's eyes widened in realization. _'Seti is the name of Ramses son, isn't it?'_ Kiran's head whipped to the side to look at Ramses. _'He couldn't have…? No, no, Seti is only five years younger than Ramses. What then? Did Ramses name is son after…?'_ Kiran smiled a warm smile.

"Why are you smiling?" Ramses asked.

"Huh? Oh, no reason."

' _Maybe he's not such a jerk after all…'_

"Whatever, you annoying woman."

' _I take it back! He's a jerk general! JERK!'_

"Jerk general."

* * *

 **Ha Ha, that was so fun to write! The meeting will be next chapter, it should be...interesting.**

 **Fun fact. While there is no actual kingdom in Ireland named Fleming, there was a prominent group of mercenaries under the family name Fleming who had a castle in Ireland in the 17** **th** **century. It was ruled by Christopher Fleming, aka Lord Slane. Their motto was "May the king live forever".**

 **Please Review!**


	9. Chapter 8 A Reason

**First off, you guys are great, I love you all, I am so glad that I have readers who actually review!**

 **Because so many people reviewed, I figured that I'd post another chapter, though this one is slightly shorter.**

 **Mika1617: Yes, the same clothes as Yuri, and no, she doesn't wear jewelry.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Red River.**

 **Also, just so you know,**

 **"English."**

"Japanese."

* * *

Chapter 8: A Reason

Kiran, Ramses, and Seti arrived to see a tall handsome blonde man and a cute, petite, Japanese woman. Kiran was pleasantly surprised that they were there before them, honestly, she had thought the king and queen would be snobby like most royals, or were all royalty in this time period nicer? Kiran wasn't able to dwell on that thought for long though before realizing something. Woman- Queen Yuri- Japanese woman?

"Ah!" Kiran exclaimed in realization and surprise. All eyes turned to her and she resisted the urge to face palm at her sudden exclamation.

' _So Ramses wasn't lying, so she's...from the future, like me? But, she didn't go back, does that mean that it's impossible?'_ She was a bit sad that she may not be able to go back, as much as she hated her life there, she had found a reason not to.

' _I have a country there, a country that needs, people that...people that need me. They actually need me.'_

"Is-" Kiran found herself asking, a hope in her eyes that, just four days ago, she would have found pathetic. "is there any way- any way for me to go back?"

* * *

Ramses was about to greet Mursili and Yuri when Kiran suddenly shouted.

"Ah!" Once again, her emotions were spread across her face in an indiscernible way, but given the circumstances, he could guess that she had just figured out he wasn't lying about Yuri's origins. Then a small frown graced her lips and she looked sadder than he had ever seen her, though he suspected that he had yet to see her truly happy yet.

"Is-" Kiran stuttered out the sentence, a hope in her eyes that he hadn't ever seen there before. "is there any way- any way for me to go back?" For once, Ramses could clearly see exactly what she was feeling, there was nothing indiscernible about it.

' _She has something...back where she came from.'_ Ramses didn't exactly know what she was so hopeful to get back to but, regardless of what it was, he wanted her to stay for some reason…

Odd, besides, it wasn't his choice.

* * *

"There is." The man Kiran could tell was King Mursili, said. "Would you mind telling us your name?"

' _Ah,'_ Kiran thought. _'I forgot to say my name, wow.'_

"I'm Kiran, sorry for not introducing myself earlier." Kiran politely apologized and bowed. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Kiran would blame her properness on her noble origins and snobby rich grandparents, but she really was sorry for not introducing herself earlier and just outright asking strangers for their help. She rose up from her bow, because even if he was a king, she still would only bow for as long as necessary. "You are King Mursili, correct?" Kiran already knew, but she figured if she was going to be asking them for help, then she might as well be polite. Kail gave a nod.

"Yes, I am Kail Mursili, pleasure to meet you also."

"And you are Queen Yuri, right?" I asked the Japanese woman.

"Yes, pleasure to meet you. You...also got taken and brought here?" Yuri asked.

"I'm not exactly sure...I think I was actually...saved?" Everyone looked at Kiran questioningly.

"Saved?" Kail voice the question they were all thinking.

"Well, I...fell into the water and...was incapable of swimming to the surface." Kiran gave half-truths, she wasn't a fan of letting people in on her personal issues. "And then there was...an...angel, or something?" Kiran furrowed her brows, realizing that she didn't actually remember anything else, except, "Ah! Yeah, and the angel mentioned Bastet. That's the Egyptian cat goddess, right? Goddess of protection? Oh, and I think she used to be represented primarily by a lioness. Let's see," Kiran had no idea where this knowledge came from, she was a fan of ancient history, not ancient religion. "Bastet is the goddess of protection, dance, hunting, singing, and love. She is also called 'the eye of Ra' and 'Goddess of the rising sun'." Ramses, Mursili, Seti, and Yuri looked at her bewildered.

"How do you know all that?" Yuri asked.

"I...don't know?" Kiran rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, because she really didn't know.

* * *

Yuri had found Kiran interesting thus far. She wasn't particularly rude, so much as forgetful and she knew when to show respect. Ramses said she was born in Japan, she didn't look Japanese, so she probably just lived there. Yuri was surprised when the woman said she was saved and when asked, her pauses weren't suspicious, so much as reluctant. Then, when Kiran had started talking about Bastet, her own knowledge of the subject had seemed to confuse her, and that was only confirmed when Yuri asked her.

' _Are gods and goddesses real? It wouldn't be that surprising though, Kail was a priest with power to control the wind. There's just one thing that doesn't quite make sense…'_

"How are you speaking this language?" Kiran looked at her for a while before she inhaled sharply in shock.

"I'm not speaking English." Kiran mumbled before closing her eyes in concentration and then opening them. **"Testing, testing, one, two, three."** Yuri had only learned a bit of English and that was three years ago, so she had no idea what the girl was saying. **"Can you understand me?"** Yuri didn't understand the question, but she could see that Kiran wanted confirmation that she was speaking her native language.

"No." Ramses said, before Yuri could answer.

" **Then how come you answered?"**

"Can you please just speak normally?" Ramses sighed, irritated. Kiran grinned and Yuri laughed, she could see where this was going. She liked this girl already.

" **Why would I ever give up a chance to annoy you?"** Kiran spoke before going into deep concentration again. "Queen Yuri? I know it's been a while, but do you still speak Japanese?" Yuri recognized the language immediately, but took a while to figure out what Kiran said and reply.

"I still remember...but I'm a bit rusty."

"I am too, but you probably already noticed." Kiran was right, it seemed like she hadn't spoken this particular language in a while. "I guess this makes me multilingual, albeit by cause of divine interference and not by actually study." Yuri laughed, she couldn't help but like this girl. At first, she was skeptical, but Yuri saw no ulterior motives.

"Before the boys make us stop talking Japanese, what did Ramses do to make you so mad at him?"

"Well geez, I don't think I can list all of the reasons in that short of a time" Yuri laughed a bit at Kiran's grin. "But, if you want the short answer," Kiran's grin grew. "He is such a jerk."

"True." Yuri grinned, thoroughly amused.

"I've taken to calling him jerk general." Ramses glared, and Yuri laughed, knowing that Kiran said Ramses' new nickname in their language just to annoy him. Even Kail smiled, and he was much more cautious than Yuri.

"Annoying woman." Ramses retorted.

"Hey!"

* * *

After they had their...dispute, Kail decided it was time to tell Kiran about the way she could get back.

"First off, you have to wait a year before returning."

"What?!" Kiran exclaimed, before wincing at her own volume. "Sorry."

 _'I don't want to yell at them, they're only trying to help.'_

"If I may ask," Yuri started. "What's so important for you to get back to?" Kiran debated telling them the truth, but she wasn't she of how they'd react, and it wasn't something she was especially keen to tell, so she opted for her only other reason, the one that had been nagging in the back of her head.

"My cousin."

 _'I don't want my cousin to have to deal with that horrible woman, and I certainly don't want him to end up like her. He's the only true family I have left after all.'_ Kiran, instead of being gloomy at the thought, grinned up at them, because she truly had something. She was living an empty life, but right then, she realized that she had something that she had thought she lost long ago.

"A family." Kiran smiled, happy for the first time in a long time.

* * *

Kail looked over to Ramses and saw the hesitant look on his face. This woman, Kiran, had a reason to go back, and by the looks of it, it was an important one. He almost felt bad for the man despite their rivalry.

 _'Good luck, Ramses.'_

* * *

 **Mika1617: Also, glad you liked the chapter, and glad that the extra had the desired effect. I had fun writing that.**

 **I figured that Yuri would be a bit skeptical, but they bond over insulting Ramses. Kail seemed like he would be a bit more cautious of her. Also, not much of Seti in this chapter :(**


	10. Chapter 9 Kiran's Tears

Chapter 9: Kiran's tears

Kiran really liked Yuri, she was nice, but not in a superficial way like most people she knew, and she was strong and independent. Yuri seemed to trust her, but there were a lot of people who were a bit more cautious than the queen. So, here Kiran was, talking to Yuri, while trying to ignore the pairs of eyes digging holes into her back.

 _'God, I feel like a zoo exhibit.'_

"So," Yuri asked. "How long did you live in Japan for? You obviously know the language pretty well."

"Ten years. So, Queen Yuri-"

"Oh, you can just call me Yuri." Yuri said, and Kiran, not really much for formalities anyway, took her up on it.

"Alright. So, Yuri, is King Mursili the reason you stayed here?" Kiran asked.

"You're rather straightforward, aren't you?"

"Ha ha, I guess that's the polite way of putting it, most people just say I'm blunt." Kiran rubbed her neck sheepishly.

"To answer your question," Yuri continued. "Yes, he is the reason I stayed."

"But," Kiran Continued, sadness barely noticeable in her voice. "You had a family, right?" Kiran saw Yuri looking a little downtrodden at her comment. "Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

 _'Damned my mouth.'_

"No, I can understand your confusion. It's just," Yuri suddenly had a strong conviction in her voice, and Kiran had no question that this woman could rule a country. "I believe that when you find someone you truly love, someone that you can't stand to be without and that you feel you can do anything for, a love like that is worth it. So, yes, I do miss my family, but I don't regret it, and no matter how many times I think back on it, I never will."

"Someone you would give up even your own family for, that's...interesting." Kiran mumbled.

"Huh?" Yuri asked, not hearing her.

"Oh, nothing. You're really lucky though, it seems like you've found your soulmate."

* * *

 _'Soulmate?'_ Yuri thought. Not many people really believed in that sort of thing. It's kind of a bit of a childish belief, and after being around Kiran for even a short amount of time, she didn't seem the type to believe in soulmates.

"I wouldn't have expected you to believe in soulmates." Yuri said, a bit curiously.

"Yeah, neither would I. I think," Kiran brought her thumb to her bottom lip in thought. "there are people who are in love who aren't really soulmates, but, the kind of love where you feel you couldn't live without the other, I believe that that's what a soulmate is." Yuri noticed that Kiran looked deep in thought through her entire explanation, like she hadn't really thought about it in depth before then.

"Why exactly do you believe in soulmates?" Yuri somehow got the feeling that that was the most important question she could ask. Kiran's face darkened at her eyes shifted to the side, her blue gaze turning stormy.

"No reason, really. I'm going to go look around a bit." Kiran left before Yuri could stop her. That was an odd response.

* * *

Kiran wandered around the extensive estate that she had heard from Yuri was the Mayor's. She was a bit rude for just leaving like that, but unwelcome memories caused her to overlook that fact. Kiran sat down on the edge of an extravagant fountain and lost herself in her memories.

She remembered her parents and how happy they were. They were almost always smiling and even the times they weren't were few and short. Her mom looked almost exactly like her, but with green eyes and pale skin. Kiran got her tan skin and blue eyes from her dad. Most of all, she remembered the time talking with her mom about love and soulmates.

 _"Hey, mom?" Kiran asked._

 _"Yes sweetie?"_

 _"You really love dad, don't you?"_

 _"Ha ha, yeah. I love your dad a whole lot. I'm one of the lucky few in the world to have found their soulmate." Her mom smiled._

 _"Huh? What do you mean? What's a soulmate?"_

 _"Hmm, well, a soulmate is like your other half. It's like you have one half of a soul and they have the other, and so your half tries to find it's missing half. That's why you feel empty without them, and that's why when you find them, you feel that you can't live without them." Kiran's mom explained._

 _"So, if dad died would you want to die with him?"_

 _"Yes, I would." Her mom said a bit sadly._

Tears started to fall from Kiran's eyes and she clenched her fists as they rolled down her cheeks.

 _'Why, why of all memories-?'_

Then her thoughts drifted to their funeral and she wanted to scream.

 _Kiran remembered being dressed in black and standing there, surrounded by people she barely knew. Her aunt stood there with a cold expression, like she didn't give a damn that her sister was dead._

 _'What gives all of these people a right to cry? They barely knew my parents anyway.' She thought bitterly._

 _After the funeral was over people told her they were sorry for her loss. Kiran stayed behind and stood in front of her parents graves._

 _"Sorry for my loss, huh?" Kiran said to herself and let out a bitter laugh. "Why? It's not like they did anything. It's not like sorry will make it better." Kiran narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists as the tears she were holding back began to fall. "Are you both happy? You said you wanted to die together, right?" The words left a bitter taste in Kiran's mouth. "Well, you got your wish. You both got to go together, and here I am alone!" Kiran screamed. "You left me here and now I have no one! I-I'm all alone!" Kiran fell to the ground as she screamed and cried until her throat was sore and her eyes were dry._

"Damned it!" Kiran exclaimed as she brought her fist up and prepared to slam it down into the hard brick of the fountain, but her hand was caught before she could.

"You shouldn't do that." Said a cool, commanding voice that Kiran would know anywhere.

"Ramses?" Kiran looked up in surprise.

* * *

"Yuri," Ramses asked, noticing the absence of Kiran in the room. "where is that annoying woman?" Yuri raised her eyebrows at Ramses question. Ramses rolled his eyes but rephrased his question. "Where is Kiran?" Ramses just realized that that was the first time he had used her name.

"I was talking with her and I think I said something that upset her and she walked off." Yuri said regretfully. Ramses couldn't help but be a bit worried. He walked out of the room and began to search for her.

He found her a bit later, she was sitting on the edge of the fountain in the garden, looking sad and distant. Ramses was completely taken aback when she started crying. Her fists were clenched so hard that they turned white. Watching her right then Ramses felt a pain in his gut, because he couldn't stand to see her like that. He wasn't naive enough to think that he was in love with her, but he cared, and he couldn't afford to, because she didn't belong there. Ramses hated to admit it, but he really didn't know what to do.

Damned it!" When he saw her about to slam her fist down on the brick, which was certain to injure it, he knew he had to step in.

"You shouldn't do that." Ramses said, trying to maintain his usual tone despite his worries.

"Ramses?" Kiran looked up at him with her teary eyes wide in surprise before looking to the side and trying desperately to wipe the tears from her face. "What do you want?" Ramses would have been annoyed with her tone had he not known that it wa just a desperate attempt at trying to distract him from the fact that she was just crying.

"What were you so upset about?" Ramses asked, because he really did want to know what could have gotten to her so much that she ran off to cry.

"Ah, so you did see all that." Kiran said bitterly.

"Are you going to tell me?" Ramses pressed.

"My parents," Kiran kept her face turned so that Ramses couldn't see her expression, but Ramses could feel his muscles tense from his grip still on her wrist. "they both died a while ago. Yuri said something that reminded me is all, it's nothing." Ramses was a bit angry at the blatant lie.

"It's hard to lose your family." Ramses said and Kiran looked back at him, a small bitter smile on her face.

"Most people just say sorry."

"Do you want me to?" Ramses asked in an amused tone. Kiran gave a small laugh.

"No, actually." Kiran smiled at him a bit. "I'm glad you didn't." Then Kiran got up and Ramses released her wrist. She started to walk away, but stopped for a second and spoke. "And Ramses?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you." Then Kiran walked away, and Ramses was left with a bitter thought.

 _'I'm getting attached.'_

* * *

Seti had, of course, seen the whole exchange and was smiling to himself. Not only was it the first time they had talked without yelling at each other, but he could see that Ramses cared. Interestingly enough, Kiran was warming up to Ramses as well. Not only that, but, was that...a blush that Seti saw on her face as she thanked him. Seti was of course glad for Ramses and Kiran for them finally getting along, but he wasn't optimistic enough to think that everything was okay now. Especially, with the news he had received from Egypt. Yes, this calm would be short lived, but he knew it was good to let them have that moment, at the very least.

* * *

 **Yay, their relationship is progressing!**

 **...at the speed of a turtle.**

 **Review?**


	11. Chapter 10 Trouble in Paradise

Disclaimer: **I do not own Red River**

 **I loved writing this chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 10 Trouble In Paradise

'Damned Ramses.' Kiran thought. 'Making us leave all of a sudden and not even telling me the reason, and to think, I actually thought he wasn't that much of a jerk for a second. That was pretty stupid of me. I even blushed goddamnit!' Kiran seethed as she practiced her swordsmanship on the deck of the boat against Seti.

"Why exactly are we returning so suddenly?" Kiran questioned, teeth clenched, sweat rolling down her face, before swinging her sword.

"I told you," Seti started as he blocked Kiran's swing. "it's a private matter."

"Right Kiran said sarcastically and rolled her eyes, which turned out to be a bad idea because it gave Seti the opportunity to knock her sword out of her hands and point his to her throat.

 _'Still not telling, huh?'_

* * *

Kiran walked in on Seti telling Ramses about something, but the second they saw her, they both shut up and Kiran saw Seti hide a clay tablet from view. Kiran narrowed her eyes at the suspicious behavior.

 _'What are they hiding?'_

"Hi." Kiran said, keeping her face carefully blank. Ramses and Seti did the same, it was beginning to look a lot like a game of poker with how carefully concealed they were keeping their emotions.

"Did you need something?" Ramses asked in a cold tone. Kiran was actually tempted to tease him to see if she could get a reaction, but she knew that the only reaction she would get from that would be a scoul, and that was no special feat with Ramses. Kiran put on a goofy grin.

"Well, I was coming in here to ask Seti for a spar, but now-" Kiran's face turned serious. "I want to know what you were talking about." Kiran said it as a demand instead of a question. Ramses scowled at her.

 _'Look at that, I hit the nail on the head.'_

"It's a private matter." Seti, very vaguely, answered Kiran's demand. Then Ramses walked right past her and said,

"We're leaving for Egypt today, get ready to go." Kiran's jaw dropped and she froze as Seti walked out after Ramses.

* * *

"I've got to go." Seti put down his sword from Kiran's throat and turned around.

"Something to do with the private matter?" Kiran inquired, eyebrow raised and lips pursed with irritation and questioning. She was glad that Seti couldn't see her because she probably looked ridiculous.

"I told you that I can't tell you." Kiran chuckled and Seti turned around to face her. When Kiran got her composure back she straightened up and shot a smirk at Seti.

"You didn't actually, this is the first time you said you 'couldn't tell me'." Seti stiffened. "You should really watch what you let slip, Seti. Private matter that you can't tell me about, let's see, that would probably translate to, 'issue in Egypt that requires Ramses' help', right?" Seti turned away from her and walked away with a weak excuse left for Kiran's questioning.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

* * *

"General Ramses?" Ramses looked up to see Seti standing in front of him, an uncharacteristic frown on his usually collected face.

"What is it, Seti?" Ramses asked, a bit cautiously.

"Well," Seti rubbed the back of his head a bit on a nervous manner, something Ramses was sure he'd picked up from spending so much time with Kiran, the two were practically best friends at this point. "Kiran is a lot more perceptive than we give her credit for. Maybe we should just tell her about the issue instead of letting her figure it out on her own?" Seti offered a bit cautiously.

"It doesn't concern her, besides, she'll have enough to deal with." Ramses said, trying to sound disconcerned, but Seti knew him well, though he decided not to press the issue of Ramses worry.

"Are you talking about those rumors spreading? The ones that say that Kiran is the incarnation of Bastet?" When Seti thought about it, her hair was about the color of a lioness' coat, and when she got serious her eyes did have a predator like quality to them. "She did know a whole lot about Bastet, maybe it's true?" Seti supplied and Ramses raised an eyebrow at him.

"That annoying woman? A goddess? I'd doubt it." Even though Ramses said that, he noticed many of the same features as Seti did. There was also the fact that she seemed to have a knack for solving issues, albeit not it the neatest way possible. Then there was the way that she ran away all the time like a wild animal not willing to be caged. Also, the way that she was determined to be at least as strong as the people around her, not willing to leave herself vulnerable. "...I can somewhat see why people would make the assumption, though." Ramses mumbled, too quietly for Seti to hear him.

"So, are we going to tell her?" Seti asked again. Ramses smirked.

"I don't see the problem with making her work for the information."

* * *

It had been three days since they had abruptly left from Hittite and they would be back in Egypt by morning...THREE DAYS! Three days and Kiran had found out next to nothing about the mysterious matter that drove Ramses to cut their visit short. What could possibly have made him leave so soon, anyway?

 _'Didn't Ramses use to love Yuri or something, that's what the maids said anyway, shouldn't he have wanted to stay longer?' Kiran paced back and forth in the room she was staying in. 'How am I supposed to find anything out? Maybe-'_

 ** _'Listen to me for once and don't even finish that thought.'_**

 _'But it might-'_

 ** _'Not worth it!'_**

 _'If I could just-'_

 ** _'No, woman! Do you have a death wish?!'_**

 _'Sneak into Ramses room and see the clay tablets.'_ Kiran ignored her conscience and started thinking of how she would pull it off. His room was always guarded when he was away from it and the idea of fighting the guards and risking a huge commotion did not appeal to Kiran. Ramses didn't have guards there when he was asleep though...Kiran had made up her mind that she would sneak in when Ramses was asleep.

 _'That plan sounds kind of stalkerish.'_ Kiran thought amusedly. Then she waited till she knew Ramses would be asleep, this was going to be a bit risky.

* * *

Kiran walked, silently as humanly possible thanks to, um, circumstances, into Ramses room. She silently pleaded the door not to make any noise, letting out the breath she was anxiously holding when the door shut quietly. Now, where would those tablets be?

Kiran decided to check the visible places first, even though she doubted that Ramses would be so obvious. She checked the table, nope. Then the bedstand, being careful to make sure Ramses didn't wake up, wasn't there either. Then she checked the less obvious places; trunk, vases, under some throw pillows, and under the rug.

 _'Where are those damned clay tablets anyway?!'_ Kiran was a bit irritated at this point, where could Ramses have possibly hidden them? She looked around the room until she caught sight of something under Ramses' pillow.

 _'Please don't be what I think it is, please don't be what I-'_ Kiran got close enough to see the object clearly. _'Fuck.'_ Kiran mentally cursed, did she just have the worst luck ever, or was this divine punishment for something?

 _ **'Divine punishment for not heading your conscience.'**_ Kiran ignored her conscience and took a step forward until she could reach under the pillow. Kiran's hands were shaking a bit, not in fear, but in nervousness. Her hand touched the cold stone of the clay tablet and just as she was about to wrap her hand around it to pull it out and hightail it outta there…

A hand caught her wrist, she would have been cursing, either mentally or out loud, but her mind was completely blank. She tilted her head up slightly and her eyes shifted from the tablet to Ramses' gold and brown eyes. She had no idea how to describe his expression right then, it wasn't irritated or cocky like it usually was. Kiran finally snapped out of her daze long enough to speak.

"Rams-" All of a sudden, Ramses gave her wrist a tug and before she really knew what happened she was pinned under him onto the bead. Ramses was straddling her, pinning her left wrist to the bed. When Kiran registered what happened she put her right arm up to try to push him off, squirming beneath him to try and get a chance to kick him or something. "Ramses, get off me!"

"You do realize that struggling like that only makes this kind of situation more enjoyable for a guy." Kiran glared up at Ramses, but his heterochromatic gaze stayed steady, still showing hints of that undefinable emotion, but also amusement, he was teasing her...and it pissed her off. Kiran glared at him.

Ramses bent his head down a bit to that Kiran could feel his breath on her neck. Ramses eyes shifted to her face to gauge her reaction as her cheeks turned a deep crimson and she sucked in a surprised breath and went rigid, her anger forgotten for a second. Kiran was suddenly very aware of her situation, it didn't exactly speak well of her sense of self preservation that she took so long to realize her situation, but Ramses couldn't possibly think of her that way, right? Kiran was now painfully aware of Ramses' bare chest and that her breath had sped up a fraction since Ramses pinned her down.

"R-Ramses." Kiran said, it came out as a weak and breathy plea and she mentally cursed herself for sounding so pathetic. She was angry damned it, he was teasing her and she was pissed at him for it.

* * *

Ramses wasn't sure what to think when he woke up and grabbed someone's wrist to see Kiran standing there, shocked. He knew that she was curious and stubborn, but he didn't know she'd go that far. How naive was she to just enter a man's room, she was a beautiful woman, annoying as she may be, any man would take advantage of the situation, Ramses was actually a bit tempted to do just that. He decided to tease her a bit for snooping around for information.

"Rams-" Just as Kiran began to spoke he tugged her wrist so that she fell down onto the bed and pinned her down underneath him. She seemed a bit too shocked to speak for a moment before she started squirming and trying to push him off. Kiran seemed to be inexperienced with these types of situations.

"Ramses, get off me!" Kiran yelled, probably alerting some people to her presence in his room, but no one would come in anyway.

"You do realize that struggling like that only makes this kind of situation more enjoyable for a guy." Ramses said, he wasn't sure if he was teasing her or warning her to make her more aware of these things, but it was probably a bit of both. Kiran glared at him.

Ramses leaned his head down a bit so she could feel his breath on her neck, he was curious about what kind of reaction he would get out of her. Kiran's cheeks flushed red and she inhaled, going completely still. It wasn't exactly the reaction he was used to, but she wasn't the kind of woman he was used to either. It seemed that was enough to alert Kiran of her situation, if her change in demeanor was any indicator.

"R-Ramses." Kiran's voice came out a bit breathy and pleading and Ramses was a bit pleased that she wasn't completely lost to the situation. That was when the door to the room opened.

"Ramses?" Seti said as he stepped through the doorway and then froze in complete shock, his reaction wasn't actually all that surprising, given the situation. Kiran used that chance to gather all her strength and push Ramses off of her and then scurry out the door like some kind of animal that had just broken out of it's cage. Ramses sat up on his bed and buried his hands in his blonde hair. That was when he realized that he may have taken his teasing a bit too far.

"I shouldn't have done that."

* * *

Kiran stopped once she got to the deck, letting the cool, night breeze clear her head so that she didn't hyperventilate or something. Just then a thought occurred to her,

"Oh my god, even if I did manage to get the tablet, I wouldn't have been able to read it." Kiran mumbled, cursing her stupidity. She buried her face in her palm as she let out a ragged breath.

 _'What the hell just happened anyway?'_

* * *

 **So...that happened. And Kiran's conscience made another appearance, and Seti got witness that...scene.**

 **Frashix: I totally agree, and thank you so much for reviewing, it gave me the inspiration to write another chapter!**

 **Please review!**


	12. Chapter 11 One Angry Seti

**Finally, I posted chapter 11!**

* * *

Chapter 11 One Angry Seti

Two weeks had passed, they had gotten back to Egypt, and Kiran was avoiding Ramses. The tension in the air was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. Seti was just about at the edge of his patience with Kiran's childish avoidance and Ramses' annoying stubbornness in not being the first one to apologize.

"They were both in the wrong, anyways." Seti grumbled. All of the other soldiers were avoiding him, they had never seen him this irritated, who knows what he'd be capable of.

Seti had gotten the whole story of what happened from Ramses. Kiran had decided to try and steal the information, Ramses had caught her and then decided to tease her a bit, Ramses had gone a bit too far, and he was there to see her bolt out of the room. At the time, he had found the story highly amusing, he even found it a bit funny to see Kiran and Ramses stubbornly not speak to each other. That was a week and a half ago. Now, Seti was through.

"Kiran!" Seti shouted angrily at said girl who was currently practicing her swordsmanship. She stumbled forward slightly, surprised at his un-Seti like exclamation of anger.

"What?" Kiran turned to Seti with eyes wide and eyebrows scrunched together, a mix of surprise and irritation.

"When are you going to stop avoiding Ramses?" Seti asked and watched Kiran's face scrunch up in annoyance.

"When he apologizes." Kiran said bluntly, and as if the world wanted to add further emphasis, Ramses walked by and Kiran sharply turned around and walked away, Ramses grimacing slightly.

 _'Good luck with that.'_ Seti rolled his eyes at the two.

* * *

"Ramses." Seti said, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. He was beyond irritated at this point. "Have you maybe thought to just apologize?" Ramses raised his eyebrow at Seti and Seti let out an exasperated sigh.

 _'Guess that answers the question.'_

"Seriously, Ramses. Why don't you just apologize? I get that she tried to steal the information, but even you admitted that you took your teasing too far. Besides, I can tell that you don't like her avoiding you." Ramses was starting to question the severity of the situation, this was the longest he had heard Seti talk about something non work related.

"How exactly am I supposed to...apologize," Ramses said the word with distaste and Seti resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "if that ann-" Seti shot Ramses a look. "Kiran" Ramses said her name like it left a weird taste on his mouth, he had, after all, only said her name once before. "turns away every time I'm any closer than ten feet away?"

 _'That was an awkwardly said sentence.'_ Seti amusedly thought, he knew very well that most of Ramses annoyance towards Kiran was simply because he didn't know how to deal with her. This was only his generals second time in his life that he didn't know how to deal with a woman, and since most men ran into that every day, even as loyal as Seti was, he couldn't help but be amused by Ramses struggle.

"I'll take care of it." Seti assured, a small smirk gracing his lips, to which Ramses responded with an annoyed glare and a grunt before he walked out of the room. Despite how it seemed, Seti knew that even if he could give Ramses his opportunity, Ramses wouldn't apologize, this was all depending on who cracked first. He also knew, that neither of them would give up that easily. Seti sighed.

"They're both way too complicated."

* * *

"Kiran-"

"I'm not going to talk to him." Said girl interrupted Seti before he could speak.

"That's not what I was going to say, I was wondering if you know how to read our language." Seti provided, Kiran eyed him suspiciously.

"...No." Kiran hesitated before answering.

"I suspected as much, considering that you're from Japan, I'm surprised you can even speak our language." Seti said.

"Where are you going with this?" Kiran eyed Seti suspiciously.

"Well, since you're going to be stuck in Egypt for a while before you can go back home, I thought you might like to learn." Seti knew that Kiran was no idiot, but he also saw the spark of interest in her eyes when he mentioned their language.

"...The catch?" Kiran asked. Seti let a small smile settle on his face.

"None at all, there are some tablets in one of the rooms, come on." Seti started walking away and Kiran hesitated before sighing and following him. Once they got to the door, Seti opened it and Kiran hesitated before walking in...only to have the door close behind her.

"Seti! Let me out, what are you doing?! SETI!" Kiran yelled through the door.

"Sorry, Kiran, but Ramses' and your fighting has gotten beyond annoying." Seti said before walking away, well, not before locking the door.

 _'Now I don't have to be annoyed by their childish fight anymore.'_ As Seti thought this, all of the soldiers on the boat looked at him in fear, Seti could really be scary when he was annoyed.

* * *

 _'Seti, damned you!'_ Kiran mentally growled.

 _ **'More importantly…'**_

 _'Oh, yeah. Why did Seti lock me in here?'_

 _ **'Why don't you try looking around the damned room?'**_

Kiran turned around and immediately froze.

 _'WHY?! Whyyyyyyy?!'_

 _ **'Because your childish silent treatment towards Ramses was so annoying that even Seti got pissed off.'**_

There Ramses was, sitting on a chair in the corner of the room. He was looking at Kiran, waiting for her to say something. Unfortunately for him, Kiran just turned around and rested her forehead on the door.

"Seti isn't going to unlock that door until we solve our...issues." Ramses stated, in his annoyingly professional and calm way that never failed to make Kiran feel like a childish idiot. Kiran let out a sigh and turned to face Ramses, her instinct to escape not letting her take a single step away from the door, despite it being locked. She leaned back into the door, propping herself up with her right leg.

"I know." She answered coolly. This was going to be a game of endurance, who would be the one to crack first under the awkward atmosphere and apologize? "Let the game begin." Kiran gave a cruel smile, this was proving to be quite an entertaining argument, she hadn't had this much fun in a while, let alone this good an opponent.

"Indeed." Ramses smirked.

* * *

 **This chapter was almost entirely in Seti's POV. Even he gets pissed off sometimes.**

 **Do you guys like Seti?**

 **And who do you think should be the first to apologize?**


	13. Chapter 12 This is Ridiculous

Chapter 12 This Is Ridiculous

There was only two words needed to describe the situation in that room where Ramses and Kiran were locked in...UTTER SILENCE.

Seti could feel his eyebrow twitch as he stood outside the locked door. He went to check on Ramses' and Kiran's progress, only to find out that there hadn't been any! He expected to hear arguing, object smashing, insults being thrown back and forth- an apology would be too much to hope for- but instead he heard absolutely nothing! Those two were plain ridiculous! You would think that one of them could stand up and be the mature one, or alternatively that one of them would be childish and start a fight, but no.

 _'I have never met two more stubborn people in my life.'_ Seti sighed and walked away from the door, knowing that there was really nothing to be done at this point, but seriously...

IT HAD ALREADY BEEN TWO HOURS!

* * *

 _'Ow, my leg is cramping up.'_ Kiran mentally whined, she had, after all, been leaning up against the door with her leg propping her up for the past two hours. _'This is getting seriously uncomfortable.'_

 _ **'Then move.'**_

 _'If I move at this point it will be a sign of weakness.'_

 _'_ _ **Are you an idiot? Ramses is a person, not a lion.'**_

 _'I know that.'_ Kiran shifted uncomfortably.

"Feeling uncomfortable?" Ramses smirked.

"No." Kiran growled, annoyed.

 _ **'Yes.'**_

 _'Shut it!'_

Ramses motioned his hand to a chair only a few feet away from where he was seated. Kiran set her leg down, trying to re-adjust her position leaning against the door. It was wasted effort though, standing in one place for so long was never a good feeling, and just setting her leg down didn't help that. Kiran gritted her teeth and scowled before relenting. She walked over to the chair, before dragging it all the way across the room to the door and sitting down. Kiran knew that she was being ridiculously childish, but if that meant that she held her ground, she was fine with that. Kiran was fine being childish, idiotic, and annoying if it was necessary for her goal; and in this case, that goal was being stubborn as a mule until Ramses apologized.

"You're being unreasonable." Ramses said.

"Then let's just call this payback."

"For what?" Ramses asked and Kiran was tempted to go across the room and slap him, but she knew that would be giving Ramses what he wanted, so she stayed put.

"For...whatever the hell you call that stunt you pulled with me."

"It's not like I really _did_ anything." Ramses stated in a bored tone.

"Whatever." Kiran huffed. "Didn't you just want me to talk to you? Well, I'm talking." Kiran said bitterly.

"From all the way across the room while you refuse to look me in the eye, or-" Ramses cut himself off. Kiran turned to him.

"Or what?"

* * *

Ramses was actually finding the whole situation fairly amusing, especially Kiran's childish action of dragging the chair far away from him. That was, until she commented on how he was dissatisfied even though she was talking with him. Ramses didn't even have to think to know his answer.

"From all the way across the room while you refuse to look me in the eye, or-" Ramses cut himself off, maybe he should have thought before he ran off at the mouth.

"Or what?" Kiran questioned, finally looking him in the eyes.

 _'Or smile.'_ Ramses thought, remembering her trademark mischievous grin that she always wore when she had successfully annoyed him, her happy smile when she had mentioned her cousin, her bittersweet smile when he caught her crying. As much as he hated to admit it, even just to himself, he missed her smile.

"Or act like your regular idiotic self." But, of course, Ramses would never voice those thoughts out loud. But, to Ramses surprise, instead of getting annoyed, Kiran...laughed?

* * *

 _'What a jerk!'..._ was what Kiran should have thought, but her instincts were telling her that Ramses was going to say something very different, and her instincts were never wrong.

 _'That's adorable.'_ Kiran thought and her hands shot up to her mouth in an attempt to silence her laughter, but to no avail.

"Pfft- HA HA HA!" Kiran laughed.

"What are you laughing about?" Ramses scowled in annoyance and Kiran struggled to calm down her laughter.

"You know," Kiran said as she wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. "You haven't scowled like that in two weeks." Kiran finished and looked up with a grin before speaking again.

"I am sorry."

"I'm sorry."

Kiran and Ramses spoke at once. They both looked at each other in shock. Kiran smiled.

"You're forgiven." Kiran said and then got up and walked over to Ramses. "And, Ramses?" Kiran asked.

"Yes?" Ramses prompted. Kiran stuck out her pinky finger and Ramses looked at it in surprise before looked back to her in question.

"Promise me that we'll never apologize again." Kiran stated with a grin.

"Why?" Ramses questioned. Kiran rolled her eyes.

"Because if we wait for each other to apologize then we'll be fighting for weeks." Kiran stated.

"True." Ramses threw another confused look at her pinky.

"Just link your pinky with mine, it's called a pinky promise."

"That's...unbelievable childish." Ramses deadpanned.

"Shut up Ramses."

Still, Ramses linked his pinky with hers.

* * *

Of all the things that Ramses could have expected of Kiran to say, this was certainly not one of them. Maybe he would have expected her to demand that he apologize, demand that he tell her what was going on, yell at him to never do what he did again. Certainly not this. Ramses looked at Kiran's hand with her pinky stuck out, shocked before looking to her in question.

"Promise me that we'll never apologize again." Kiran grinned at Ramses.

"Why?" Ramses questioned and Kiran just rolled her eyes at him, like it was obvious.

"Because if we wait for each other to apologize then we'll be fighting for weeks." Kiran stated bluntly, Ramses couldn't help but agree with her statement.

"True." Ramses agreed, but gave a confused look at her still outstretched pinky.

"Just link your pinky with mine, it's called a pinky promise."

"That's...unbelievable childish." Ramses deadpanned. Kiran surprised him with how childish she could be sometimes, but he had already made the observation of her immaturity.

"Shut up Ramses." Ramses reconfirmed his thoughts when something akin to a pout graced Kiran's face.

Ramses linked his pinky with hers before releasing it again. "So," Ramses questioned as Kiran brought her hand back to her side. "you aren't going to ask me about what I wouldn't tell you?" Kiran shot Ramses a mischievous grin.

"Of course I am, but of course, if you don't want to tell me…" Kiran trailed off, but Ramses could see in her eyes that it wouldn't be good, or it would at least be troublesome.

"Alright." Ramses conceded with a sigh. "I suppose there's no helping it, Seti and I are visiting an important noble a week from now, I will explain everything to you on the way." Kiran smiled triumphantly and Ramses scowled.

* * *

Seti smiled from outside the door. Looks like the game was over. He supposed it was appropriate that the two most stubborn people cracked and apologized at the same time. There was one issue though, now that Ramses had agreed to tell Kiran what was going on, how was he going to present Kiran in front of the noble?

' _I'm sure it will all be fine.'_

* * *

 **Oh, Seti, how naive. Don't you know by now that nothing is ever fine?**

 **Then again, Kiran's even more naive, and yet she was still able convince Ramses to pinky promise with her...why Kiran, just... _why_?**

 **So, what do you think, what cover story will Ramses come up with for Kiran?**


	14. Chapter 13 Emotions

**Most of my chapters lately have been a bit short, but I promise you all that I will write some longer chapter after I finish with exams.**

 **Enjoy~**

* * *

Chapter 13 Emotions

"Oh, hell no." Kiran refused. "No way in hell I am acting the part of your servant, come up with a different story!"

"Well," Ramses smirked. "The only other acceptable story would be that you are in a relationship with me." Kiran blanched. Option one, swallow her pride and pretend to be Ramses servant. Option two, crush her pride to bits and act as Ramses' lover.

"I hate you in this moment." Kiran sighed and dawned a look of defeat.

"We'll be leaving tomorrow, if you don't wake up-" Kiran cut off Ramses threat with a wave of her hand.

"What'll it be this time? You already used a sword, water, Seti dragged me out of bed once, what's next? Fire?" Kiran stated in a bored voice, rolled her eyes and shot Ramses a glare.

"I was thinking of using a horse." Ramses smirked and Kiran huffed.

"I'm going to sleep." Kiran said before walking, more like stomping honestly, off to the room that Ramses had said she could use. Despite staying at Ramses residence almost three weeks now, Kiran had yet to meet any of Ramses' numerous sisters. Ramses had told her that it was probably good that she hadn't.

Once Kiran reached her room, she plopped down on her bed and tried to sleep.

* * *

Seti was really growing accustomed to having Kiran around, it seemed that she was now a part of his and Ramses' life. He honestly didn't know when it happened, or how, but Kiran was an important person to both of them.

Kiran was like his best friend, or maybe even a sister. Come to think of it, Seti didn't really have any more important people in his life other than Ramses and Kiran. It seemed impossible that someone could get that close in such a short time, but he supposed that that was just who Kiran was; she had a certain kind of charisma despite being easily bored, mildly scary, and a bit childish.

Seti could tell that Kiran was important to Ramses, too. Seti thought that they were actually quite a bit alike, though he would never say it out loud for risk of their reactions. They're both determined and stubborn(because there is a distinction), both a tad bit arrogant, both hate to be wrong, and both had a sort of way of carrying themselves in situations that demanded respect; even though Kiran dealt with situations in more...extreme ways. Unfortunately, that's also what seems to keep them from getting along.

Well, it _seemed_ like they don't get along, but maybe it was a bit more complicated than that. Whatever the case, getting along or not, they are close. He honestly couldn't define what Kiran was to Ramses, a friend? Maybe...more? Well, whatever she was to Ramses, or whatever she was becoming, it was clear that she's important to him, it it seemed that both him and Ramses were growing more attached by the day. Whether that was a good or a bad thing, well...guess we'll just have to see.

How long had they known her now? A couple months? It seemed like a year with all that had happened. Ah, that's right, a year. Kiran couldn't stay with them forever, but Seti really wished she could, maybe there was a way…? Seti only hoped that his general wasn't thinking the same thing. Seti spared a glance over at Ramses, who was watching Kiran's retreating figure, and as unfortunate as it was, Seti could tell that Ramses was thinking exactly the same.

* * *

Kiran laid awake in bed, tossing and turning to see if she could stop thinking long enough to go to sleep, but soon gave up. She laid flat on her back and sprawled her limbs out over the bed.

What was she thinking about that made it so hard to sleep? _Feelings_ , something she had stopped really thinking about since her parents died. Actually, she hadn't really been feeling many emotions since her parents died. Anger, yes. Thrill? When she was fighting. Happiness? …Not until she got sent back in time.

Kiran normally would just enjoy it for right now, being a 'live in the moment' person, but...she wanted it to last- she wanted it to last forever. It was just a selfish thought though, because while she _likes_ being here, she was _needed_ elsewhere.

' _When did I even stop being selfish anyway? What happened to I need to live my life and live it the way I want?'_

' _ **You started caring.'**_

' _No.'_

' _ **Yes, you started caring because you now realize you have something more than yourself to live for. Isn't it ironic that the very people you want to stay with are the people who taught you it would be self-serving to stay?'**_

' _Emotions are way too complicated, what should I do?'_

' _ **I don't know.'**_

' _IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THEN WHAT WAS ALL OF THAT TALK ABOUT?!'_

' _ **...'**_

' _Great, my conscience has left me. Well, I guess emotions aren't really logical.'_

Kiran rolled over and buried her face in her pillow, this was all his fault, damned Ramses. Kiran's thought had never been so muddled...

I don't want to leave anymore.

I want to leave to help people.

I want happiness.

I want to help.

I don't want to feel.

I want to feel like this forever.

These emotions are confusing.

These emotions are amazing.

...but at the same time, she had never felt so happy. Irrationally, inexplicably, _miraculously_ happy. Because- as confused as she was, as urgent choosing where she needed to be was-the fact was that she felt at home- felt like she belonged- in not one place, but two.

She was absolutely sure that when it came time to actually _choose_ she would be crushed.

"But that can wait…" Kiran said sleepily. "For another time...right?" And after that last word left her lips, Kiran was fast asleep, far into the world of dreams.

" _Hey, hey mom, look." A six year old Kiran bounced happily on her feet while holding out a not-so-well drawn rose._

" _Yes, it's very beautiful." Her mom smiled, soft green eyes crinkling with the motion. "Do you know what the meaning of a rose is?" Kiran shook her head. "They mean love."_

" _Love?" Kiran tilted her head in question._

" _Yes," Her mom answered and then dawned a slightly more serious expression despite keeping her smile. "Kiran, promise me, if you ever find love, that you'll try your hardest to keep it and that you won't run away."_

" _I'm too young for love yet, though." Kiran said back._

" _Your seventeen sweetie." Her mom said and Kiran looked behind her mom to catch her reflection in a picture frame._

" _...So I am. Regardless, mom, I'm not ready for something like that yet." Her mom smiled._

" _When you are-"_

"Neigh!"

Kiran's eyes shot open and then abruptly closed them again when her eyes caught the light. Slowly, she opened them again, in front of her was...a horse.

The horse blinked,

Kiran blinked.

The horse blinked.

Kiran closed her eyes before opening them, revealing a look of fury and yelled. "RAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMSSSEEEEESS!"

A chuckle sounded from outside the door.

* * *

 **That last part was really fun to write. This chapter was just to get a feel of everyone's emotions, the next chapter will be longer and more interesting.**

 **I appreciate all of your reviews, likes, and follows. You guys are great!**

 **How do you think Kiran should meet Ramses' sisters? Though, I can't promise it will be any time soon.**


	15. Chapter 14 Awkward Situations and DejaVu

Chapter 14 Awkward Situations and Deja Vu

"Why are you so angry? I told you what I would do if you didn't wake up." A tick mark appeared of Kiran's head.

"I was in the middle of a really important dream!" Kiran shouted.

"What was it about?" Ramses inquired. Kiran opened her mouth to speak, but abruptly closed it and put her thumb to her bottom lip in thought.

"I don't know, I can't remember."

"Then how do you know it was important?" Ramses asked bluntly.

"Shut up, I just know, ok?!" Kiran shouted irritably.

"They're at it again." Seti mumbled and sighed. "To think, we aren't even on the road yet."

* * *

"Absolutely not." Kiran refused. "Did you honestly expect me to agree to this?"

"Just get on." Ramses sighed, holding out his hand to Kiran from on top of his horse.

"Why can't we just take a carriage?" Kiran asked.

"Discretion." Leave it to Seti to answer in one word.

"Then why can't I have my own horse, I know how to ride one." Kiran stated.

"And you can ride one in that?" Ramses questioned, Kiran looked down at her outfit. She was wearing a servant's dress that fell down to her ankles. Her other dress was apparently not something a servant would wear.

"...No." Kiran looked up at Ramses and scowled. Kiran had no idea how to ride side-saddle, she would fall of the horse in seconds. "Ugh, fine."

' _ **Ramses: 2987, Kiran: 0'**_

' _Shut up.'_

Kiran pushed Ramses offered hand away with the back of her and and instead laid her palms flat on the blanket over the horse and pushed herself up, twisting to sit side-saddle. Ramses looked back at her with a bit of surprise, Kiran smirked.

"It's actually easier to just swing your leg over and sit normal, side-saddle is such an inconvenience."

' _Actually, it would be easier if I had something to grab onto, but the ancient equivalent of saddles are just blankets, so I can't hoist myself up.'_

"Aren't you going to hold on?" Ramses questioned, raising an eyebrow at her. Kiran blinked and tilted her head in confusion.

"To what?" Ramses glanced at her in amusement before lightly kicking the horse's sides. Kiran was jerked back at the sudden movement of the horse and grabbed Ramses shoulders to balance herself. "You could have just told me." Kiran said irritably.

"Would you have listened?" Kiran huffed in response. "Put your hands around my waist, it will be easier to hold on that way." Ramses said and Kiran hesitated before complying and wrapping her arms around his waist.

' _Awkward, awkward, so incredibly awkward. Why do I have to hold on to him, why does the style of Egyptian men's clothing have to have no shirt, why does Ramses have to be so muscular? Argh, scratch that last part!'_

"Here." Ramses spoke, handing her a white shawl. "Cover your hair with this."

"Why?" Kiran asked, Ramses looked back at her from the corner of his eye.

"Your skin will burn in this heat, your skin may be tan, but it is far from suited to this weather." Ramses said before turning back to face in front.

' _That's actually really nice of him.'_ Kiran thought.

"Besides," Ramses continued. "Your hair will attract too much attention." Maybe a week ago Kiran wouldn't have caught it, but now she could see that it was just an attempt to cover up the fact that he was indeed worried for her.

"Thank you." Kiran stated softly. Ramses looked back a bit to see a small, sincere smile on her face before turning back around.

"Your welcome."

* * *

Seti was riding a few feet behind them, because in that moment he really felt as though he was intruding. He knew that as they were, both stubborn and prideful, the moment they were sharing was as fragile as glass. Seti just couldn't bring himself to ruin it for them.

"And Kiran," Ramses started and Kiran looked at his head that was half turned so he could see her. "try not to mess this up." Ramses smirked.

"Jerk general." Kiran mumbled, shooting him a glare.

"Annoying woman."

...Then again, Seti really didn't need to worry. After all, they were more than capable of ruining the moment on their own.

* * *

They had been riding for a while, Ramses and Kiran constantly bickering, but occasionally managing to be civil. Seti was now riding next to them, giving his signature straight-to-the-point answers whenever Kiran asked something.

"How far away is this place?" Kiran asked.

"Not far." Seti said and Kiran rolled her eyes.

"Care to clarify?" Kiran asked.

"Only a couple more hours." Ramses answered her. Kiran shifted a bit.

"Side saddle sucks, I'm never wearing a long dress after this. Got that, Ramses? NEVER." Kiran growled.

"I heard you the first time, you annoying woman." Kiran could practically see his scowl, despite not actually being able to see his face.

"Excuse me if I feel the need to repeat myself, it just seems like you never listen." Kiran growled.

"It's not that I don't listen, I just don't care."

"Because that makes it so much better." Kiran said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"It's not supposed to." Ramses countered.

"Jerk ge-"

"Help!" Kiran's insult was cut off by a cry of distress. Ramses turned to look at her, and they could both see the agreement in each other's eyes. Ramses steered the horse in the direction, Seti following.

They went over to see about three men cornering a woman. Kiran eyed them with distaste.

"C'mon, we just want to have a little fun." One of the men said.

 _'I know that men where I come from men can be awful too, but it seems like I'm seeing this way too often here.'_ Kiran was off the horse and walking over before Ramses could protest.

"Excuse me." Kiran said and one of the men turned around, only to be met with a fist to the face.

*CRUNCH*

The guy stumbled back, bonding his now broken and bleeding nose, impressively managing not to fall.

"Bitch!" The man spat. Kiran flicked her wrist, inwardly wincing, she had forgotten how painful it was to punch someone in the nose with enough force to break it.

"Do you want to leave that woman alone," Kiran asked with an icy glare. "Or do I have to make you?" The man threw a punch at her, but before she could dodge it, a hand stopped the fist. Kiran looked back and scowled.

"Ramses." She growled.

* * *

Ramses didn't expect Kiran to just jump off the horse and straight into danger, but he knew that it was a mistake to assume she would do anything else.

"That woman..." Ramses let out an irritated sigh, but his voice was only filled with amusement and just a hint of worry. Ramses watched Kiran break one of the men's noses and was very glad that he had dodged the one time she'd tried to punch him.

Seeing how angry the man looked, Ramses decided to step in. He walked over, nobody seeming to pay any attention to his approach. He got over just in time to catch the man's fist, though he knew Kiran would have probably had no trouble dodging it. Kiran turned to him with a scowl, clearly irritated at his interference.

"Ramses." She growled.

"As in…" One of the guys looked at Ramses in fear and Ramses just stared back evenly. "G-general Ramses?!" The man stuttered out.

"I'd suggest," Ramses started. "You leave." Ramses finished and the three men were already far away. Then Ramses turned to Kiran. "Your welcome." Ramses smirked, amused at how Kiran's face scrunched up in rage.

"I could have dodged that, your assistance was not needed!" Kiran yelled.

"Do you honestly think that you could have fought all of them without a weapon in that dress?" Ramses questioned.

"I might h-"

"Excuse me." Ramses and Kiran looked to the side to see the woman that had been surrounded.

* * *

Kiran looked at the woman, her fight with Ramses forgotten. She was absolutely beautiful. Kiran wasn't low on self-esteem, she knew that she was pretty, perhaps even very pretty, but this woman was divine. She sported the trademark Egyptian skin color, but her hair was white-blonde and she was golden-eyed. Almost like the eyes of a lion.

' _An angel. She looks like an angel.'_ Kiran felt like she had thought that before, but she couldn't remember when.

"Thank you for saving me." The woman looked at her and then at Ramses. "Both of you." But the woman quickly brought her attention back to Kiran. "I will pay you back some day." The woman said and then walked away.

"Well…" Kiran started. "that was a bit cryptic." Ramses nodded in agreement.

"Let's get back on the road." Ramses said, and Kiran decided just not to argue...for now.

* * *

 **mika1617: thanks, I wasn't sure how I was going to have them meet, and I really like Neferet.**

 **Next question, how do you guys think Neferet will react to Kiran? How will Kiran deal with having to act as Ramses' servant for their entire visit? Anybody care to guess who the mystery woman is?**


	16. Chapter 15 What Do You Bet?

Chapter 15 What do you bet?

It really did only take a couple of hours, after that...incident, to get to the Noble's house. Kiran had actually thought that Ramses was messing with her and it was actually going to take the rest of the day. The rest of the time was taken up by Ramses explanation of what was going on. Supposedly, the noble they were visiting was leaking information to other counties about Egypt's inner affairs. Apparently there was quite a bit of corruption plaguing Egypt's government, and letting other countries know that left them open to attack. Once they got there, Seti left them to 'attend to some things', leaving Kiran with nothing but the minimum amount of information, as always.

"Can I take this head scarf off now? It's getting really hot." Ramses gave her a look from the corner of his eye.

"Alright, our discretion was mostly for traveling."

"Why are you so concerned with discretion anyway?"

' _My guess is that there are supposedly other nobles involved, so this is supposed to be a surprise visit. Otherwise, Ramses wouldn't be so concerned with being spotted heading here. The question is: how is he going to explain why he didn't give this noble notice without making him think we're onto him.'_

"Don't ask things you already know the answer to." Ramses stated, clearly a bit irritated.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kiran said innocently and Ramses scoffed.

' _He figured that out quickly, come to think of it, he tried doing the same thing to me once, asking one question when he was actually asking something completely different.'_

"You don't need to know how I will deal with this situation. Just worry about not screwing this up."

"Yeah, yeah. What exactly do I have to do to 'not screw this up' anyway?" Kiran asked, not exactly the type to know how to behave and act all servant-like. It just wasn't in her nature obey without question.

"Do not speak unless spoken to. If he compliments you thank him and say nothing else. Follow every order you are given. Do not talk back or make any snide comments. Most of all," Ramses gave her a dry look. "try to act like a normal woman instead of a wild lioness."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Kiran grinned. Suddenly Ramses eyes adopted a bit of mischief and Kiran got a bit worried.

"You won't be able to do it." Ramses said and Kiran, being the hot-head she is, forgot about her worry in the face of such an obvious challenge.

"Care to bet on that?" Kiran was irritated, but she grinned at the prospect of a challenge.

"Alright. I bet that you cannot act like a proper servant for this entire trip."

"And if I can?" Kiran asked challengingly.

"I will do any _one_ thing you ask of me. Same rules apply to you of course." Ramses answered.

"Deal." Kiran agreed and then Ramses smirked.

' _Oh no, don't tell me-'_

Kiran's grin fell and began re-evaluating what she just agreed to at the sight of Ramses expression. "Ramses!" Kiran yelled, anger and distress lacing her voice. "You je-"

"Starting now." Ramses said, and as much as Kiran wanted to yell at him till his ears bled, she hated losing, and that _Ramses_ would _win_ \- Kiran quickly shut her mouth.

* * *

"General Ramses," The man in front of them said as they entered the room. "It's been a long time."

' _Ramses knows him, well, I guess that makes since. He could have told me though.'_

"Harres." Ramses said with distaste. The man appeared to be Ramses age if not a couple years older with black hair and brown eyes, he was fairly good looking, too.

' _So I have to be polite but he doesn't.'_ Ramses gave Kiran a look, as if reading her thoughts.

"This is Harres, he was doing some investigation of his own, he's leaving tomorrow. The man who owns this estate,"

 _The bastard who is selling information.'_ Kiran thought.

"Will be here shortly."

"So," Harres inquired. "is this the goddess?"

' _Do I answer? He asked about me, but the question was directed at Ramses.'_ Kiran's question was answered when Ramses spoke.

"No, she is no goddess." Ramses said.

"Really?" Harres asked and then walked over to Kiran and picked up her hand, kissing it. "She certainly looks like one."

' _I'm supposed to say thank you, right?'_

' _ **Relax, just follow the etiquette you're grandparents drilled into your head.'**_

' _Right.'_

"Thank you for the compliment." Kiran thanked. "My name is Kiran. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Kiran introduced. Harres released Kiran's hand and gave her a charming smile.

* * *

Ramses watched as Harres picked up Kiran's hand and kissed it and Ramses could feel a burning anger bubbling up in his chest, then again, he never did like Harres.

"You're certainly polite. I believe Ramses already introduced me. It's a pleasure to meet you as well." Harres released Kiran's hand and gave her a charming smile.

"Alright," Ramses grunted, annoyed. " _He_ is going to be here any minute, so, you should probably leave." Harres smirked back at Ramses before giving Kiran a flirty wink and walking out of the room. Ramses scowled but his lips turned up in an amused smirk upon seeing Kiran's miserable look.

' _She must hate having to act like that.'_ Ramses thought. Kiran turned to Ramses and scowled at his smirking face. Kiran opened her mouth to say something, but snapped it shut a second later, probably remembering that she was supposed to be acting like a servant.

* * *

Kiran did not like being flirted with. At. All. She may have been a bit oblivious towards things like that, but she was not a total idiot. Kiran didn't even think to keep her misery off her face.

' _Ramses is evil, I can't even act rude in response.'_

' _ **You were the idiot who agreed to the bet.'**_

' _I was tricked. Tricked!'_

' _ **Because you're an idiot.'**_

' _Aren't you nice?'_

' _ **I am your conscience, I only state facts.'**_

Kiran looked up to see Ramses with an infuriating smirk plastered on his face and scowled in return. Then she opened her mouth to make a comment, but quickly closed it, remembering their bet.

' _I think I might actually lose this bet.'_ Kiran thought, bitterly. Footsteps sounded and both Kiran and Ramses turned around. Kiran shivered. There stood the man they were supposed to meet, he was fairly good looking, and there was nothing especially awful about him, but...

' _Those eyes...they're full of depravity. They remind me of that woman, except sane, which is actually worse.'_ Kiran was not liking this situation. Not. At. All.

Kiran had officially reunited with her most hated emotion...FEAR.

* * *

 **So, how will Kiran deal with the bet? How will she deal with Harres if she sees him again? How will she deal with this guy with the terrifying eyes?**

 **Well, it's Kiran, so we can be sure that it'll at least be entertaining.**


	17. Chapter 16 Standing Strong

Chapter 16 Standing Strong

Kiran was brought to her senses by Ramses' voice, and despite their awful bet, Kiran was actually thankful for the general's presence.

"Ames," Ramses spoke in a controlled and polite tone of voice. "it's nice to see you again." Kiran looked at Ramses and decided to distract herself from Ames' eyes by trying to see what Ramses actual thoughts were.

' _Translation: Ames, I really wish I could have avoided ever speaking to you.'_

"Likewise." Ames responded with a deceptively pleasant smile.

' _Translation: What the hell do you want?'_ Kiran gave a barely discernable smile. _'I think I may have just found a way to keep sane over the course of this stay.'_

"Who is this?" Ames asked and Kiran was dragged out of her thoughts and back to looking at those depraved eyes. Kiran suppressed a shiver and waited for Ramses to answer.

"This is Kiran, my servant." Ramses introduced and Kiran bowed, glad to be able to look away for a second before rising and feeling her stomach sink again at the sight of those eyes still on her.

"She is very lovely." Ames said, his eyes trailing over Kiran's form, said woman growing increasingly uncomfortable. Ames' eyes settled on her hair. "Such an odd shade of gold hair." Then, his eyes met hers and Kiran felt like she was staring a snake in the eyes, unmoving, just waiting to see if it would bite her and sentence her to death. "And such unusual blue eyes." Ames looked back over to Ramses, leaving Kiran relieved to have his attention elsewhere. "She's quite a jewel."

"Yes." Ramses said and Kiran couldn't even discern what he was really thinking. Kiran didn't dare to risk even a 'nice to meet you' for fear that he would turn back to her.

* * *

Ramses caught a glimpse of Kiran's attitude as Ames walked in, but thought nothing of it, turning his attention to the man who had just entered.

"Ames," Ramses kept the hatred out of as he greeted the man, despite his opinion that this man was utter scum. "it's nice to see you again."

"Likewise." Ames greeted, Ramses could tell that he was curious of Ramses reason for being there, but he wouldn't say it. "Who is this?" Ames questioned, turning his gaze to Kiran, Ramses felt anger bubble up in his chest, but answered anyway.

"This is Kiran, my servant." Ramses answered, if Ames was taking an interest in Kiran, it would not be good.

"She is very lovely." Ames commented and Ramses repressed a glare as his eyes trailed over Kiran's form. His eyes turned to her hair and Ramses could see greed in his eyes as he eyed the golden locks. "Such an odd shade of gold hair." Then Ames met Kiran's eyes and Kiran froze, this time Ramses could not help it as his eyes narrowed in displeasure, but he quickly regained his composure. "And such unusual blue eyes." Ames then turned his attention back to Ramses, wearing an unsettling smile, Ramses nearly cringed. "She's quite a jewel."

"Yes." Ramses said back. It was no lie, Kiran was beautiful and exotic, but Ramses was more concerned with the uneasy feeling in his stomach. Kiran stayed silent, and if it wasn't so concerning, Ramses would have found it to be a miracle. Ramses turned to look at her, not being able to help his unease with her silence. Ramses could see the semblance of an ominous grin make its way onto Ames' lips and knew that he had made a mistake in showing his concern- his interest in front of Ames.

"I will have a servant show you to where you will be staying, we will meet tomorrow night in the dining hall." Ames started to walk away, but stopped and turned to add, "Oh, and, please, do bring your servant." Ames turned and Ramses could see Kiran shiver and see her face contort in a disturbed expression before letting out a breath and regaining her composure.

* * *

Kiran and Ramses were being led to their rooms by one of Ames' servants when Ramses suddenly spoke up.

"Are you alright?" Ramses asked Kiran.

' _No. No I am not alright. He reminds me of- why am I so scared? I always stood up to her, why can't I-'_

' _ **You were scared. You were just able to cover it up.'**_

' _Yeah, but why can't I do that now?'_

' _ **Because he's not her, he's smarter and he's sane and he isn't someone you can mouth off to- and let's face it, mouthing off is your best defense, fighting ability or no.'**_

' _Yeah...So, I won't mouth off. I'll just play the servant, bringing someone like him to justice is more important than my fear.'_

"I'm fine, lord Ramses. It's kind of you to worry." Kiran said sweetly and Ramses visibly flinched, because her words were far too polite and sweet for something Kiran would ever say. They spent the rest of the trip in silence, Ramses now worrying more about whether Kiran would actually be able to win their bet, rather than about her short-lived fear.

But Kiran was still scared, just doing a remarkable job at hiding it. After all, showing your fear gives your enemies an advantage; and if Ramses' and her bet couldn't be considered war, then her worry about Ames deserved recognition.

* * *

Not mouthing off was proving to be quite the task for Kiran. Ramses was killing her. Telling her 'do this' and 'do that' and 'go help that person'. Kiran was putting up with it though, albeit begrudgingly, but this- this was plainly horrifying.

"Excuse me, lord Ramses? Did I hear you correctly?" Kiran asked, just barely managing to hide the disbelieving contempt in her voice.

"I'm going to take a bath and you will pour me wine." Ramses said again, dumbing it down for her, which she was sure was just to irritate her further. Normally Kiran would say 'hell no' to that, and she was actually about to say just that before remembering the _terms_ of their bet.

" _And If I can?"_

" _I will do any one thing you ask of me. Same rules apply to you of course."_

Kiran did NOT want to see what Ramses would make her do should she lose their bet. Kiran bowed a bit, her hair hiding the momentary scowl that took over her features.

"Of course, _lord Ramses_." Kiran said the last bit with barely concealed disdain, but since it didn't _technically_ break the terms of the bet, she got away with it.

"Good." Ramses said and Kiran was forced to follow him after picking up the wine tray.

' _I swear that one this bet is done and I've WON it, I'm making him walk naked across the entirety of Cairo.'_

' _ **I'm sure that no one would mind with those abs.'**_

' _Shut it.'_

* * *

 **Poor Kiran, I wonder how long she'll last. Kiran's conscious is sort of a pervert…I didn't do that intentionally, but it works.**

 **Would you guys like a whole chapter dedicated to Ramses' and Kiran's bet?**

 **Also, should I make this a leeway to some relationship development or just make it funny and awkward?**

 **Oh, and, does anyone else find Ames to be creepy, or is it just me?**

 **Please review!**


	18. Chapter 17 Count Your Losses

Chapter 17 Count Your Losses

' _I swear that I'll end up killing myself before this is over.'_

' _ **Ramses wouldn't be able to make you do anything if you do.'**_

' _Yeah, but I kind of want to live to make him suffer when I WIN.'_

' _ **Just keep telling yourself that.'**_

Kiran was not liking this at all, the walk to the bath felt like it was taking hours with dread weighing down in Kiran's gut. Ramses was working really hard to make her crack and lose the bet, and to be honest, it was working. Even with how stubborn Kiran was, she was half tempted to just lose the bet so that it would be _over with._ Kiran nothing more than to end this torture, well, nothing except winning. Thus her current predicament continued. Then, they were at the door and Kiran suddenly felt very, VERY uncomfortable.

' _ **Take the plea bargain!'**_ Kiran's conscience screamed. _**'Maybe if you say that you give up, you can negotiate the terms of the deal.'**_

Unfortunately, Kiran knew Ramses fairly well. There would be nothing good coming out of that suggestion. Even if Ramses did re-negotiate the terms, which was about as unlikely as a meteor striking down and saving her from the current situation, his insufferable boasting would drive her mad. At least if she tried her best in this venture her pride would be able to stay intact, albeit a bit bruised.

Ramses stepped through the door and Kiran reluctantly followed and closed the door behind them. Ramses started to take off his clothes and Kiran mentally panicked.

' _Do I turn to the wall? Cover my eyes? He doesn't actually expect me to just_ watch _does he?! What do I do?!'_

Despite her panicked thoughts, though, Kiran's natural reactions already had her subtly looking away.

' _Naked, there is a naked guy not ten feet away from me. A very, very hot naked guy.'_ Was Kiran happy? No. Try extremely embarrassed and nervous, with a hint of pure humiliation. She was pissed at Ramses for making her feel like this, but despite not being happy, there was an undeniable intrigue at the situation.

"Oh, god." Kiran murmured under her breath. "What am I thinking?" The slight sound of splashing water brought her back to reality as Ramses entered the bath.

' _Thank god that I'm at an angle where I can't see anything.'_ Kiran thought gladly.

"Wine." Ramses ordered and Kiran bit back saying, 'I think that you need to extend your vocabulary if you can only manage one word sentences'. Kiran walked to the edge of the bath so that she was right next to Ramses, pointedly looking away. Then Kiran balanced the tray in her left hand and picked up the wine pitcher with her right, and poured the wine into the glass, then she set the wine pitcher down, picked up the cup and handed it to Ramses.

' _Thank you waitressing. Every moment spent on you was worth not getting to watch TV.'_ Kiran thought as she stepped back a few paces, glad that nothing more than Ramses back was visible now.

' _Come to think of it,'_ Kiran thought. _'I haven't had a bath in a few days.'_

Kiran had been too distracted with all that was going on to notice, but thinking about it made her aware of how greasy her hair was and she didn't like it. She usually didn't go more than two days without bathing, well, before she had gotten thrown back in time that is.

"Would you like to join me?"

* * *

Ramses had been trying very hard to make Kiran irritated enough to mess up and lose their bet. He had honestly never imagined that the hot-headed woman would be able to follow orders for that long without complaint and without messing up. Kiran seemed to be a lot more capable than he had been giving her credit for, but he would win anyways.

Despite his confidence in the fact that he would win, Ramses was getting impatient. Not only because she had lasted so long- despite the fact that it had barely even been a day- but because, as much as he hated to admit it, Ramses missed the Kiran that acted recklessly and without a single regard for how much trouble it would cause. He missed the way that Kiran would say whatever she liked to whoever she liked. He missed the Kiran that was far too wild to be tamed and far too stubborn to be pushed around.

' _And to think that I'm the one who proposed the bet in the first place.'_ Ramses thought bitterly.

Unlike what he probably should have done though, Ramses came up with an idea that Kiran would not be able to put up with. This was sure to get her to lose.

And thus brings them to the current predicament. Unfortunately, aside from being extremely awkward, Kiran was unaffected. Ramses had no idea what led him to it, but it seemed to work none-the-less.

"Would you like to join me?" Ramses asked, turning his body slightly, so that he could monitor Kiran's reaction. Kiran gaped and let the tray slip from her hand.

"W-WHA-WHAT?!" Kiran shouted, her whole face turning red at the suggestion. "HELL NO!"

"..." Ramses smirked and eyed her with amusement.

"..." Kiran flung a hand to her mouth after realizing her outburst.

"..." Ramses let a small grin cover his lips.

"..." Kiran rubbed her hand over her face in disbelief at the fact that she took the bait before shooting a glare at Ramses. "I demand a rematch. That was totally uncalled for."

"There are no rematches in bets." Ramses stated.

"Well there should be, you play dirty." Kiran stated. Then, she sat on the ground and dropped her glare. "I'm glad that that's over though." Ramses opened his mouth to tell her not to do anything to mess this up, but Kiran spoke first. "I know, I know. 'Don't mess this up, you annoying woman', Right? I won't. I don't like this Ames guy, anyway."

"Glad to hear that you finally understand." Ramses said teasingly.

"Yeah, yeah." Kiran scoffed. "What are you planning on making me do, anyway?"

Ramses paused, he hadn't actually thought of that. Odd, considering that he was the one who proposed the bet. He had wanted to irritate Kiran and to make it so that she didn't mess his mission up, but there was really no other purpose to making the bet.

"I'll think of something." Ramses stated with a smirk.

' _Something that I'll find interesting.'_

"Cashing it in the bank, huh? I refuse to pay interest, though." Kiran joked and Ramses raised a brow. Cashing? Bank? Interest? What was this woman talking about?

"What?" Ramses questioned and Kiran sighed.

"Never mind."

* * *

Later, Kiran was walking back to her room when a thought struck her.

"Why did I react like that?" Kiran questioned to herself. Kiran wasn't one to take a comment like that lying down by nature, but she knew how to act and how to stay calm if necessary.

' _Why did I react like that? I could have just calmly said no, it's not like I'm incapable of putting up a front. Is it...because it's Ramses?'_ Kiran shook her head. _'No, no way. A part of me wanted to just get the bet over with, that's probably why I acted that way.'_

Yet there was a voice in the back of her head that said, _**'Just keep telling yourself that.'**_

But Kiran ignored it.

* * *

 **This felt like a good way to end their bet.**

 **Also, FINALLY. Just,** _ **finally.**_ **I have been waiting for a bit of** _ **actual significant**_ **progress in their relationship, but it didn't seem like the right time until now. Now we know that Kiran likes Ramses, even if she won't quite acknowledge it.**

 **Next chapter, prepare for jealousy.**


	19. Chapter 18 The Lion and The Snake

Chapter 18 The Snake and The Lion

Ramses had just dropped by to remind Kiran that they would be meeting with Ames in a few hours, and to assure her that it was more than _just_ the three of them, which Kiran was grateful for. When Ramses left, Kiran went to the bath, glad for the opportunity to actually bathe.

Kiran was reminded of Ramses and the bet, the bet that _he won._ She would be getting revenge, the way that he made her lose was totally uncalled for.

' _ **You're just bitter because you let your guard down around him.'**_

' _Shut up.'_

What to do? This revenge would have to at _least_ make up for the bet, but then there was the horse, and the making her ride side saddle, and the list just goes on and on. Kiran continued to contemplate what would be proper revenge as she entered the bathing area. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw two women in servant dresses waiting for her.

"Lord Ames ordered us to prepare you." One of the women said. She had black hair and eyes with the standard Egyptian skin color and she was about half a foot taller than Kiran.

"I'd just turn away if I were you." The younger huffed. She looked about a year or two younger than Kiran with honey brown eyes, blonde hair, same standard Egyptian skin, and- even though she was younger- seemed to be a few inches taller than Kiran.

"Don't mind her." The black haired woman assured Kiran. Then she started circling around her and Kiran just stood still in discomfort. "You're rather short." She commented.

' _Yeah, well people in this time are supposed to be shorter.'_ Kiran mentally retorted.

"Impressive physique." The woman continued. Then she stopped in front of Kiran and grabbed her chin, turning her head from side to side. Then she released Kiran's face and stepped back with a pleased smile. "Layla," She spoke to the blonde woman. "Get her washed up while I find a suitable outfit."

"But Nebet-" Layla protested, but was cut off by Nebet.

"Quiet Layla, do as you're told." Nebet ordered, harshly. Layla looked down to her feet with an angered and hurt look. Nebet left and Layla looked up at Kiran with disdain.

"Just get in the bath." Layla growled. Kiran took off her clothes and got in the bath, she wasn't particularly uncomfortable. Maybe it was because her grandparents had always sent people to get her cleaned and dressed before _important_ parties. Once Kiran was in the bath, Layla started washing her hair, she scrubbed harder, and harder, and harder until Kiran was literally cringing. Kiran tugged away and faced Layla.

"What is your problem with me?!" Layla blinked, wide eyed. She seemed to be surprised at Kiran's outburst, but she recovered quickly.

"Because you need to stay away from him!" Layla shouted.

' _She's talking about Ames, but why?'_

"What are you, his lover?!" Kiran shouted back, angry with the uncalled for treatment.

"My sister was his lover, he killed her! I will make sure that no one loves that bastard again!" Kiran eyed Layla in shock as the girl panted from her outburst.

"Is that...so?" Kiran questioned. Layla turned her head away, but nodded. "How would you like to see him get what's coming to him?"

"Can you do that?" Layla turned to Kiran and could see the fire in Kiran's eyes, and she knew that she had her answer. "Alright, I'll help in any way I can." Layla said determinedly.

* * *

Nebet had come back with Kiran's clothes a little while later, surprised to see Kiran and Layla actually getting along. Layla didn't really like anybody, and- because of her rude and harsh nature- nobody could be bothered to deal with Layla. So seeing something like this was shocking. Nebet couldn't believe that a polite servant like Kiran who had captured her lord's interest would ever want to associate with someone like Layla.

"Eh-hem." Nebet cleared her throat to catch the two's attention. "Dry her off and we'll get her dressed." Nebet ordered Layla and the latter gave a nod before doing as she said.

* * *

Ramses hadn't talked to Seti since they had arrived at Ames' residence. The reason being that he was searching for evidence of Ames' corruption. Despite the importance of that task, Ramses did miss Seti for all the time he wasn't there. Ramses considered Seti as a friend, though Ramses would never say it and Seti- loyal as he was to Ramses as a general- would never accept such an appointment in Ramses' life. Seti was there to serve and protect Ramses, and he couldn't ever accept anything more.

Now, Seti was reporting back to Ramses on the progress he had made. Only, there was no progress. There was no evidence that Seti could get without drawing attention.

"I swear, that man is like a snake, depraved and sneaky to the very core." Ramses spoke with irritation.

"It's funny that you would say that." Seti said.

"Your meaning?" Ramses questioned and he saw Seti's eyes held a bit of amused interest, though it did not show on his face.

"You know that the goddess Bastet once faced an evil serpent named Apep and killed him. _We_ came here to bring the serpent down, but maybe it will be _Kiran_ who stops him." Seti stated and Ramses grimaced.

"Even if that woman was a goddess- which she is most certainly not- I doubt that she would be the one to take down or expose Ames' crimes." Ramses argued and Seti's eyes took unsettled look.

"I wonder about that."

* * *

' _Kiran is childish, annoying, interesting, perceptive, strange, and mischievous with concealed kindness. A good person overall.'_ Seti thought to himself. _'But…'_

"Seti?" Ramses spoke.

"It's nothing." Seti assured. "I'm going to try looking around some more." Seti left, but his steps lagged once he was out the door and when he was a fair distance away, his steps stopped.

' _But there's something else.'_ Seti thought back to all of the times he had caught a different side of Kiran.

' _Solemn.'_ Seti remembered all of the times he had seen her buried deep in sad thoughts.

' _Tortured.'_ Seti recalled the time he had seen Kiran crying in the rain before his general comforted her.

' _Ruthless.'_ Seti thought back to Kiran fighting, and the blank look her face took while her eyes would gleam with satisfaction.

Ramses had noticed all of the times Ramses had been distracted or interested by Kiran, and the growing feelings of his general toward her. Seti had figured out that Ramses liked Kiran, maybe not quite love, but fast approaching it. Seti was unsure of the extent Kiran's feelings as she was a mystery in most of her, but he could at least tell that she held some feelings towards his general. Was Seti worried for his general falling for the girl who seemed to be carrying far too much weight and darkness along with her? In all honesty, Seti didn't know. Kiran, even with the darkness, still held that concealed kindness, and Seti knew that she would never hurt them. As long as that was the case, Seti had no issues. Besides, Kiran really was like a sister to Seti. In that regard, as much as he hated it, Seti couldn't imagine getting rid of Kiran if she caused them harm. Either way, Seti knew that in these kinds of affairs, he had no right to interfere.

All Seti could do was wish them both luck...and mentally bang his head against a wall at how long it was taking Ramses to act on his feelings.

* * *

 **Don't worry Seti, we all feel the exact same.**

 **Thoughts on Leila?**

 **What does Ames have planned for Kiran?**

 **Will Kiran be the one to stop Ames?**

 **Please Review!**


	20. Chapter 19 Serpent Circling

Chapter 19 Serpent Circling

It was time to gather for the party, and Kiran was far from happy. Very, VERY far. Why? Well, it mostly had to do with the monstrosity that she was wearing. That, and the uncomfortable way the clips were tugging on her hair, the weight of the jewelry, the annoying feeling of makeup- even if it wasn't much, etc., etc. Kiran was just not happy. She was at least glad that the ridiculous modern invention of heels didn't exist in this time.

Despite her annoyance, Kiran kept her face carefully blank. Kiran was about to face off with that snake of a man, and she wouldn't let him see anything that may give him any kind of advantage. Kiran had played this game many times before. Her grandparents had surrounded her in political intrigue when she was young and she had dealt with the rapacious personality of her aunt. This was only a matter of dealing with two in one.

Kiran walked with Leila up to the dining hall and Leila left her with a worried look. Kiran gave her a small nod and then proceeded to enter. All eyes seemed to go to Kiran as she entered the room, but Kiran ignored the looks in favor of going over to Ramses.

"Excuse me, general Ramses."

* * *

Ramses had been taking with one of the guests that Ames had invited. He honestly wasn't sure as to the reason why that snake had invited so many people here at this time. It seemed too much of a coincidence for this to happen at the same time he had come to investigate Ames. On top of that, Ramses had yet to see Kiran anywhere. Which led Ramses to wonder why Ames had asked Kiran to attend the party, what was Ames planning?

"Excuse me, general Ramses." Ramses' contemplation was interrupted by the familiar voice. Ramses turned to be met with Kiran, who was draped in silks and jewels. She wore a white, flowing dress that fell down to floor-length with off-shoulder straps. Her golden hair cascaded down her back, it's usual wave gone in favor of a straight style, making her hair go down to waist length, a strand was braided and tucked back with a silver clip that was decorated with blue gems. A similar style of jewelry decorated her ears, neck, and wrists. Ramses could see the slit on the side of her dress and as she shifted, he watched as a sliver of her toned leg showed through the slit. Ramses looked to Kiran's face and noticed her blue eyes, which were very lightly outlined with makeup and her lips that were painted red.

"You look nice." Ramses commented as he mentally admitted that she looked so much more than nice. A real smile touched Kiran's red-painted lips for a second before it turned into a pleasant smile and Ramses was forced to wonder if he had misread the first emotion.

* * *

Kiran had watched as Ramses eyed her outfit with impassive eyes and she struggled to read any sort of emotion out of them. Kiran honestly wasn't sure why she cared, or why it would matter if Ramses liked how she looked or not. More importantly, she hated this outfit anyway, it's not like she would ever dress this way again.

"You look nice." Ramses complimented, which in Ramses speech had to mean that she looked amazing. Kiran genuinely smiled at the compliment before wiping the smile off her face and replacing it with the carefully crafted pleasant smile that she had made a habit of wearing to events like this.

"You flatter me, general Ramses." Kiran said with an amused quirk of her lips. Ramses grimaced.

"It's disturbing to hear you call me that." Ramses replied with appalled tone.

"Is it that bad?" Kiran questioned with a grin that was obviously trying to hide a laugh. "How about jerk general, then?" Kiran joked and Ramses seemed like he was trying to decide between scowling and laughing.

"Just call me Ramses, _lady_ Kiran." This time it was Kiran's turn to be disgusted.

"Just call me Kiran, _lord_ Ramses." This time Ramses pinched the bridge of his nose.

"That's even worse." Ramses grimaced.

"Alright then, it's decided. You'll call me Kiran and I'll call you Ramses." Kiran spoke and stuck out her hand. Ramses took her hand and kissed it, Kiran blushed.

' _What is he- oh, they don't have handshakes in this time, do they?'_

"Uh, ah- actually, where I came from, when you stick your hand out the other person is supposed to shake it." Kiran explained nervously.

"Hm, but I think I like it this way better." Ramses said with a smirk.

"Are you making fun of me?" Kiran questioned after regaining her composure.

"Making fun of you? Who wouldn't want to kiss a beautiful woman's hand?" Ramses teased. "Although," Ramses continued, cupping Kiran's chin in his hand and leaning his face close to hers. "I think there are other places I'd like to kiss more than your hand." Then Ramses wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her body against his. "A lot of other places."

' _Wah! Too close, too close, too close!'_

The situation was so far out of Kiran's comfort zone that it wasn't even funny. She could feel the warmth of Ramses' hands of her chin and waist so strongly that it felt like he would burn her. Kiran was almost terrified of how conscious she was of Ramses touch. Then there was the fact that she was pressed right up against Ramses chest- which wouldn't have been so bad if there was a bit more to Egyptian male clothing, unfortunately, that was not the case.

* * *

"Are you making fun of me?" Kiran questioned Ramses. Was he? Well, yes, on some level, but Ramses was also serious. Ramses mentally questioned how far he could take it before Kiran would decide to actually injure him, with that woman he could only guess how much she would be willing to take.

' _Only one way to find out.'_

"Making fun of you? Who wouldn't want to kiss a beautiful woman's hand?" Ramses teased Kiran and watched as she seemed to get slightly nervous. "Although," Ramses then cupped Kiran's chin in his hand and leaned his face close to hers, seeing as Kiran froze and went wide-eyed. "I think there are other places I'd like to kiss more than your hand." Then Ramses wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her body against his, Ramses couldn't help but be pleased when he saw Kiran's face go red as her body went rigid. "A lot of other places." Now she just looked like she would have a nervous breakdown.

' _It seems that she's not completely clueless.'_

Ramses was about to lean in to Kiran's tempting lips…then, the moment was interrupted by none other than the snake himself, Ames.

* * *

"May I borrow your servant for a while?" Ames questioned as Ramses let Kiran go. It was obvious that Ramses didn't want to accept, but Ramses had no _reason_ to reject Ames' request.

Kiran was half relieved and half annoyed. No, not annoyed because they were interrupted, but because Ames was there. Although, Kiran herself was confused as to why she didn't just punch Ramses. Kiran snapped out of her thoughts when she realized Ramses' difficulty in answering.

"I will accompany you, farewell lord Ramses, I will see you later." Kiran said as she walked over to Ames' side, mentally cringing when he wrapped an arm around her waist.

' _I could break his arm, I'm capable.'_

' _ **At the risk of getting Ramses in trouble?'**_

' _...no.'_ Kiran subtly shook her head at herself, she wouldn't trouble Ramses. He may be arrogant and harsh and constantly teasing her, but Kiran respected him and she actually trusted him.

* * *

Ramses watched as Kiran walked away with Ames and he couldn't keep the frustration from touching his features. At the moment there was nothing he could do, he had no evidence to use against Ames and Kiran was only supposed to be a servant. Ramses knew that he had no right to be so protective of Kiran, she was capable and she wasn't even going to be there in just under eleven months.

' _What is she to me?'_ Ramses questioned himself.

Ramses thought that Kiran was beautiful, hell, he _knew_ she was beautiful. Ramses also found her to be interesting, probably the most interesting woman he's ever met. Ramses knew Kiran was strong, strong and determined to the point of being absolutely stubborn. Ramses couldn't help but like Kiran. Her smile, her annoying stubbornness, her way of knowing how he was feeling despite how well he hid his emotions. Ramses was captivated by her. That was it.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Ramses sighed as he looked back over to Kiran and Ames who were chatting with some people, just as Seti came up to him. Ramses turned his attention to Seti as he began to speak.

"General Ramses, we have our evidence against Ames." Seti spoke, but when Ramses looked back over to find the man in question, Ames and Kiran were no longer there.

"Where did they go?" Ramses questioned with slight panic and Seti's eyes reflected similarly.

"Lord Ames left with lady Kiran." A voice spoke and the two turned to see a young woman with blonde hair and honey-brown eyes who also looked a bit troubled. "Please go after her."

* * *

 **You know, after Kiran practically got kidnapped, the only thing I can think is; poor Ramses, he got interrupted.**

 **I feel the need to make Kiran suffer a bit of what Ramses has been going through after all of the Ames drama had been dealt with...wonder what I should do (smiles ominously).**

 **Also, Ramses finally admitted to himself exactly what he feels for Kiran, and he got this close to acting on it...before stupid Ames interrupted.**

 **Please review.**


	21. Chapter 20 Falling In

Chapter 20 Falling In

Kiran was getting uneasy. Ames and her were just going around talking to other guests. She would rather he just go ahead and make some move already, it was making her anxious. It was like when you're in a field of tall grass and you know there's a snake, but you don't know when it's going to strike. Yes, that was exactly the feeling she was getting. Then, Ames leaned down and whispered in her ear. Kiran would have been disgusted with how close he was, if it hadn't been for the words he spoke. As it was, the words captured her full attention.

"Don't think that I don't know what Ramses is planning."

Kiran turned sharply to face Ames, a fire in her eyes as she gave a dangerous glare. Ames just smirked back at her as he waited for her next move. Kiran felt cornered, like the snake had wrapped around her and she couldn't move. The threatening indication in those words he spoke was not lost on her.

"Lord Ames, would you mind if we go somewhere private to discuss this matter?" Kiran asked with barely hidden disdain. Cornered indeed.

"Not at all." Ames replied as his poisonous smirk grew. He snaked his arm around her waist once again as he motioned the way out. Kiran began to walk alongside him out the door.

Kiran became increasingly cautious as Ames lead her down the halls. They stopped at a door which he opened for her and motioned her inside. Kiran was no idiot, but she most certainly thought herself strong enough to deal with whatever Ames was planning. Kiran walked in. It was a bedroom, Kiran cringed at the realization as Ames closed the door. Kiran turned to face him and took a few steps back to widen the distance.

"Lord Ames, may I ask what you were insinuating with your earlier words?" Kiran asked, not quite ready to drop her facade.

"Kiran dear," Kiran struggled to keep the disgust off her face. "you don't have to act. It's rather distasteful to see a lioness play the part of a kitten."

"Alright, then." Kiran spoke as she let the loathing she felt show on her face. "You vile snake," Kiran growled. "You would dare to threaten me and Ramses. You clearly underestimate the bite of a lioness." Kiran rise her chin and glared as Ames walked closer.

"And you, my dear," Ames spoke as he walked forward; ever stride deliberate and dangerous. "have clearly miscalculated the cunning of a snake." Ames was now only a couple feet from Kiran. "And might I say," Ames said as he cupped Kiran's chin in his hand. "I much prefer your fiery self to your obedient facade."

Kiran eased her hand and brought her nails down on Ames' cheek. Ames released Kiran and stumbled back a step as he raised a hand to the four bloody cuts.

"Careful," Kiran mocked with a foreboding edge. "I don't only bite."

Before Kiran knew what was happening, Ames had pinned her up against the wall, his arms on either side of her. Her back ached from the harsh contact with the wall and an alarm rang 'danger, danger!' in her head. Kiran knew enough to know that being pinned was never a good thing.

"You know," Ames spoke as he towered over her. "I was planning on selling you." Kiran eyed him in disgust. "Such a jewel as you would fetch a heavy price, but," Ames looked at her with lust. "I think I've changed my mind."

"Get o-" Kiran was cut off when Ames crashed his lips onto hers. Kiran pushed her hands against his chest to try to get him off. Then, Ames stuck his tongue in Kiran's mouth and she bit down.

Ames stumbled back as he brought both of his hands up to his mouth where blood was now dripping out. Kiran ran her tongue over the roof of her mouth and went still as the metallic taste registered.

' _Blood.'_

Kiran raised her hand as she felt liquid drip down her chin.

' _I taste…'_

Kiran wiped her chin and brought her hand out in front of her. Kiran's gaze turned cold as she saw the red-orange smudge.

' _Snake blood.'_

"How vile." Kiran spoke with distaste as she spit on the ground and wiped her mouth with her non-blood covered hand.

"Bwch!" Ames yelled angrily, his bitten tongue marring his speech.

"Sorry," Kiran mocked. "I can't really understand what you're saying."

Then Ames slammed her shoulder up against the wall and Kiran winced.

' _Damned, he's got some strength.'_

"You're going to regret that." Ames growled as her pressed against Kiran's shoulder even harder.

"Ergh!" Kiran stifled her groan of pain. "I'm-" Kiran winced. "Surprised that you can speak normally after that." Kiran looked up at Ames mockingly. "Must hurt a lot." Then, Ames squeezed Kiran's shoulder. "Aahh!" Kiran screamed in pain.

"I could say the same." Ames lowered his head to whisper in Kiran's ear. "I've never actually had a girl fight me before." Then Ames tugged her arm and threw her onto the bed. One of his hands pinned both of her wrists.

' _It's…'_ Kiran thought back to a similar situation with Ramses. _'So different. So similar, but...completely different.'_

Kiran was snapped out of her thoughts when Ames' hand made its way to the slit on her dress. He stuck his hand through the slit to run it over the skin of her thigh. Kiran shuddered in disgust.

"Get. Off. Of. Me!" Kiran growled as she brought her knee up to Ames' stomach, making him loosen his grip.

Then Kiran tugged her arms free of his loosened grip and pushed him off her. Ames fell to the ground. He managed to push himself up into a kneeling position before Kiran landed a kick to his head. Kiran's eyes were as cold as a desert night as she looked down at Ames who spit out a mouthful of blood and a tooth.

Kiran could only feel rage and disgust, she was about to kill him, she wanted to kill him. Kiran closed her eyes and took a breath, then breathed it out shakily. Then she turned to the door, only to fall back onto the floor with a loud thud when a hand wrapped around her wrist and tugged her back.

"Oof!" Kiran grunted as her vision blurred and her head throbbed painfully enough to make Kiran wince. All of a sudden there was a weight on top of her, Kiran blinked away the blurriness to see Ames pinning her down.

"You sure have given me a lot of trouble," Ames said menacingly before smirking. "But it will be worth it." Kiran shuddered at his next words, "Especially when I see the look on Ramses' face."

Kiran tried pushing Ames off, but her shoulder still hurt from when he had slammed her against the wall, and her head and back still ached from her rough contact with the floor. Kiran caught a metallic gleam on top of the small bedside table and swung her fist out to hit the table's leg with as much force as she could muster. A small, expensive looking dagger fell down and Kiran reached out and gripped it in her hand, and then plunged it into Ames' stomach, before she could even register what was happening.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins as Ames' body went limp against her. She could feel his blood soak her even as she wasn't completely conscious of what was really going on. Kiran pushed his body off of her and quickly stood up, bloody blade still clutched in her hand like it was the only belonging she owned.

All of a sudden, the door opened and Kiran turned around to face Ramses. She just stared blankly for a few seconds before blinking and widening her eyes. Ramses reflected her shock. Kiran loosened her grip on the fancy blade and it clattered against the ground. Kiran fell to the floor gripping her head as tears rolled out of her eyes and splattered against the floor, some mixing with the blood that covered her body.

"What did I...do?"

* * *

 **I almost feel like making a funny comment would be insensitive...**

 **Review?**


	22. Chapter 21 Climbing Out

Chapter 21 Climbing Out

"What did I...do?" Kiran couldn't think, couldn't move, could hardly breath. The tears blurred her vision from seeing anything clearly. She felt senseless in every meaning of the word. Thing was, she couldn't bring herself to feel bad for killing Ames. There was no guilt, no sympathy, no regret. But to think that she was capable of killing- capable of taking another person's life...it felt sickening. She was a killer, she shouldn't even exis-

"Stop whatever you're thinking."

* * *

Ramses had spent quite a while searching for Kiran with Seti and the young blonde woman who had hastily introduced herself as Leila before insisting on helping them find her. Ramses didn't know how the young woman knew Kiran, but he would push the issue to later. Ramses had needed to find Kiran. It had taken a bit of time- too much time- to find Ames' quarters.

He had been shocked when he walked into the room to see Kiran's state and then he had felt absolutely hopeless when he saw her break down- not just in tears, but in every way. Ramses could easily guess what happened. He couldn't say that he was sad to see Ames killed, but he had wished that Kiran wouldn't have been the one to do it.

"Stop whatever you're thinking." Ramses said as both Seti and Layla rushed to Kiran's side and froze there- probably not knowing anything they could do to comfort her.

Ramses had killed before, though it was mostly in times of war, and therefore justified in the minds of everyone. That isn't to say that he had never killed when there wasn't a war going on. It was always different when there was no battle, the kill was less justified, less urgent. Still, with every kill you had to harden yourself to be able to do it. Kiran, despite being ruthless in defending herself and others, was not a cold-blooded killer. This didn't do anything to convince him otherwise.

"Kiran." Ramses spoke and waited as the woman in front of him looked up helplessly. "What would you do if I told you to kill Layla?" Ramses questioned stoically as he watched Kiran's expression give way to disbelief and mild horror.

Layla looked at him in disbelief- Ramses was pleasantly surprised to see that she had no fear. It became obvious with that. Now, Ramses had every bit of faith that Kiran wouldn't harm her. It assured Ramses that Layla was not an enemy of Kiran and most likely not an enemy of him.

Seti had on an expression that Ramses had never seen directed at him- Rage. Ramses had seen his friend mad, but never at him. Seti seemed too worried for Kiran to process his intentions. Normally Ramses would take Seti's reaction as a danger of betrayal, but as long as Kiran was on his side, then Seti's worry for her was fine.

"What?!" Kiran choked out through her tears, a bit of the fire that was usually in her blue eyes returning. "Ramses!" Kiran growled at him as she got to her feet and walked close enough to him. "Don't. You. Dare!"

"Would you kill her?" Ramses asked, still showing no discernable emotion on his face.

"Of course I wouldn't! Layla is innocent! Why-" A look of realization washed over Kiran's face before annoyance took over. Kiran slapped Ramses across the face, and while Ramses didn't outwardly react, it did hurt. You'd think he would be used to being slapped by women. "You're such a jerk Ramses! Comfort me! Hug me! Say that everything's going to be okay! Don't use some twisted test to show me that I'm not a bad person!" Kiran yelled at Ramses angrily as tears welled in her eyes. Then Kiran tried to slap Ramses again, but he caught her wrist and stared at her with a serious expression.

"Do you honestly expect me to let myself get slapped twice by the same woman?" Ramses questioned. Kiran jerked her hand back and then punched Ramses' chest weakly.

"You're such a jerk Ramses." Kiran said in an almost whisper voice as tears fell from her eyes once again. Ramses pulled Kiran to his chest and let her cry, and Kiran didn't pull away.

* * *

Kiran was beyond furious when she realized what Ramses was doing with his comment.

"You're such a jerk Ramses! Comfort me! Hug me! Say that everything's going to be okay! Don't use some twisted test to show me that I'm not a bad person!" Kiran didn't really know why she reacted so pathetically, or why she really did want Ramses to comfort her more than anything. However, it was no mystery why she was angry, Ramses always made things better, but he was also always unnecessarily harsh. Kiran would appreciate his straightforward way of doing things later, but for now, she was angry. Kiran tried to slap Ramses again, hoping it would do something to quell her rage, but Ramses caught her wrist and pinned her with a look that she really didn't know what to do about.

"Do you honestly expect me to let myself get slapped twice by the same woman?" Ramses questioned. The words sounded so cocky, but somehow Ramses tone was almost soft- comforting? Kiran was sure that she was just grasping at straws. Kiran gave tugged her hand back and then gave a weak punch to Ramses' chest.

"You're such a jerk Ramses." Kiran said in a low tone as she let more tears fall, she felt so weak at the moment, it felt absolutely pathetic. What exactly had happened to the strong Kiran who wouldn't be caught dead crying for any reason?

' _No, that wasn't strength. That was denial.'_ Kiran thought honestly to herself as Ramses pulled her to his chest, and she let him. Kiran allowed herself to cry a bit against Ramses chest before gently pulling away and wiping her tears. Kiran put an honest, slightly cheeky grin on her face.

"I'm not crying like that in front of you anymore." Kiran stated. "You've seen me cry twice like that, and that's way too many times in my book." Ramses looked at her unsurely. "I won't cry _unnecessarily_ in front of you anymore, _necessary_ tears are the only ones that should be shed." Kiran spared a glance back at Ames. "That bastard doesn't deserve tears."

" _Eeeeekkk!"_ A shrill screech sounded from the doorway and Ramses turned around while Kiran turned her attention to the maid at the door as even more people started to gather. Which, with the unfortunate nature of the entire situation, happened to include the entirety of the guests at the party.

"God damn, woman," Kiran grumbled as she rubbed her ears. "Could you scream any louder?" Ramses gave her a flat look to which Kiran gave a dismissive shrug and a, "Yeah, yeah."

"That woman killed him! Look at the blood on her clothing!" A random voice shouted. Kiran watched as all of the people began to murmur and eye her with fearful expressions as two guards walked in through the crowd.

"I'm really in deep shit, aren't I?" Kiran questioned humorlessly. "Alright, cuff me." Kiran said with a smirk as Ramses raised a brow at her words. "Right, I forgot, that joke is totally lost on you all." Kiran murmured as the guards grabbed her arms.

"Hey Ramses." Kiran said and Ramses looked at her curiously, waiting for what she was going to say. "This is actually the first time I've been arrested before." Kiran said with a giggle. It was funny when she thought about it, her first arrest was for murder in ancient Egypt. It was so surreal that Kiran really couldn't believe it was even happening. Kiran wondered if she should be worried, but she was reassured when she looked at Ramses' expression. For whatever reason, it seemed that she had nothing to worry about, well, except one thing.

' _Oh, god.'_ Kiran mentally groaned. ' _Why is it that Ramses seems so damned attractive right now?'_

* * *

After Kiran was dragged off and all of the spectators left, Ramses looked back at Ames' body and gave it a vicious glare.

"Vile snake, you had better hope we don't meet in the next life," Ramses said hatefully before turning towards the door and walking out with, "because I'd be more than happy enough to make sure that you're next death is much more slow and painful for what you put her through."

* * *

 **Clap, clap, clap. Now, Ramses, all you need to do is say protective things like that to Kiran's face and have a bit more tact when comforting her.**

 **Oh, and Kiran. That thing you were having such problems with figuring out, it's called** _ **liking**_ **someone.**

 **I wonder if Kiran realized that she pretty much ordered Ramses to hug her in her little rant, I'll probably make that come back to bite her.**

 **Please review!**


	23. Chapter 22 Jail Cell

**Chapter 22, and the moment a lot of you have been waiting for, take a guess! ;)**

* * *

Chapter 22 Jail Cell

Kiran didn't think it was possible to be so bored, but apparently...it was. Seriously, people made being arrested sound like fun, all adrenaline and trying not to get caught, they left out the part where you're in a cell, bored out of your mind.

Kiran sighed for about the hundredth time in the hour or two that she'd been there. Then, her thoughts drifted to Ramses and that last thought of hers before she was dragged away.

' _Oh, god. Why is it that Ramses seems so damned attractive right now?'_

Ramses was attractive, that was no mystery, I mean, come on. Seriously, there was a reason that all woman looked over and giggled and winked whenever he passed.

' _Not that he doesn't enjoy it.'_ Kiran thought bitterly, then blinked in surprise.

"Wait, why should I care?" Kiran asked herself aloud.

' _Should I even be thinking about this?'_ Did she even really want to think about this? It could make sense of all of those...emotions. She had a sneaking suspicion about what those emotions meant, but it was hard to accept. If that was the case, that would just complicate things even further. Even if that was the case, though…

"I," Kiran swallowed. "I might...like Ramses." Kiran said to herself before burying her face in her hands and mumbling, "Oh my god. This is so...not good."

When she first met Ramses- literally ran into him- she was entranced by his eyes. Heterochromia was rare, so were gold eyes, and Kiran personally liked brown eyes so it was most definitely understandable.

"He...most definitely has great eyes."

His ability to fish for information was amazing, Kiran would know. It impressed her to see that he could sneak double meanings into his questions to try and catch her in a lie or get her to expose the truth.

"He's smart."

Kiran thought back to her insecurity about her leadership ability and how much she admired Ramses for being a great leader. All of his soldiers admired him and trusted him unconditionally, and for good reason. That was probably the thing Kiran liked the most about Ramses. Sure, he was definitely attractive and...impressive, but the leader side of him definitely took the cake.

"He really is...admirable." Kiran mumbled dazedly with a small smile, before frowning a bit. "When did I start to _like_ him, though?"

 _"It's hard to lose your family." Ramses said and Kiran looked back at him, a small bitter smile on her face._

 _"Most people just say sorry."_

 _"Do you want me to?" Ramses asked in an amused tone. Kiran gave a small laugh._

 _"No, actually." Kiran smiled at him a bit. "I'm glad you didn't." Then Kiran got up and Ramses released her wrist. She started to walk away, but stopped for a second and spoke. "And Ramses?"_

 _"Yes?"_

 _"Thank you."_

Kiran gave a small smile as she thought back to that moment. As she recalled, she was blushing as she walked away. Just a little over a month ago Kiran would have thought herself weak for blushing, for falling in love, for being conflicted over anything, for making friends. She had realized a little while ago that that wasn't actually the case. No, she had only shielded herself because she was emotionally weak. She was a lot stronger now than she was then. Back on topic, though.

"I guess I have a crush on Ramses." Kiran mused. "That would make him my first crush."

' _My first crush, yet I'm seventeen and in ancient Egypt.'_

Kiran sighed- with relief or exasperation, she really didn't know- and laid down on her makeshift bed. Actually, her _bed_ was more like a crappy piece of cloth over some hay and another piece of crappy cloth for a blanket. Despite the unsatisfactory sleeping conditions, Kiran started to doze off the second she laid down- it had been an exhausting night. Unfortunately, Kiran's last thought had always been the one to stick in her mind during her sleep.

' _What would my parent's think of all this?'_

Kiran's question barely registered in her exhausted mind as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

 _Kiran was sitting on the couch in the living room, pouting while her parents gave her disapproving looks. She was eleven at the time. She had gotten mad at her cousin's and their stuck up attitudes and calling her mother an idiot for marrying some poor military man instead of marrying someone who had financial assets that would benefit their family. Oh how ironic that was, considering that it turned out her father was the heir to a small modern kingdom._

" _Why did you hit them, Kiran?" Her mother asked with a stern look while her father just held a disapproving expression. Oh yeah, by got mad, Kiran meant that she had beat them up._

" _They insulted-" Kiran started off loudly before deciding against what she was saying. "Me." Kiran tried to pass in off like she had to clear her throat._

" _We don't approve of violence, Kiran." Her mother spoke and finally her father's eyes hardened in an indescribable way._

" _Well, that's not necessarily true." Her father interrupted, gaining a horrified look from Kiran's mother before the woman relaxed, seemingly realizing his meaning. "Self-defense or in the defense of someone else who's innocent. Words are nothing more than weak regressions for those who want to trump your spirit, they're nothing to fear. When someone throws a fist, that's when you should fight."_

' _ **You thought they would be disappointed in you for being violent, but since then, have you ever used violence against a single person who didn't deserve it?'**_

' _No.' That was undoubtedly the answer._

 _The old her was weak?_

 _The old her was hurting._

 _The old her was selfish?_

 _The old her was scared._

 _The old her was uncaring?_

 _The old her was afraid to care._

 _The old her didn't want love?_

 _The old her wanted someone to love her, but she would never admit it. Now she had the chance to be loved, but she also had the chance to selfless. She had the chance to be the person that her parents would be proud of. What would her mother have told her to do?_

" _I'm too young for love yet, though."_

" _You're seventeen sweetie."_

" _...So I am. Regardless, mom, I'm not ready for something like that yet."_

" _When you are-"_

 _What...was that?_

* * *

It wasn't really a difficult task for Ramses to convince them to let him in to see Kiran. His position did come with influence, but he wouldn't dare to break Kiran out. That wouldn't be a great idea, even if it _was_ necessary. Which it actually wasn't. As it was, because of Ames' crimes, it was highly likely that Kiran's crime would be overlooked. That is, with a little bit of influencing on Ramses' part. There was only one problem, those rumors about Kiran.

It seemed that there were many people taking interest in Kiran as the supposed reincarnation of the goddess Bastet. Ramses didn't believe it at all, but other people seemed to.

All of Ramses thoughts ceased when he reached Kiran's cell.

' _She's asleep.'_ Ramses noted mentally, standing and not really knowing what to do. He hadn't really known what he was going to say to Kiran, he just wanted to see her. So, now that he saw her, was he going to leave? Ramses sighed.

Ramses sat up against the wall opposite of Kiran's cell. Ramses didn't want to leave, not so soon at least. Ramses groaned. What was this woman doing to him? He hadn't told her how he felt about her, it wasn't like him to hesitate. In his defense, Kiran was not like the women Ramses would usually pursue.

"You are such an annoyingly unpredictable woman." Ramses spoke to Kiran, despite her being asleep. "Why did it have to be you, when you're not even going to stay?" Ramses just watched as Kiran slept soundly, despite how uncomfortable the bed looked.

Ramses found himself entranced by the picture. Kiran had apparently been given the chance to change and clean the blood off of her, because Ramses couldn't see any evidence of the previous events. Her lips were parted slightly as she breathed slowly in and out, her body rising and falling with every breath. Her breathing was audible, but she wasn't snoring. Occasionally she would burrow her head into the cloth and paw her hands against her blanket. Bits of her golden hair fell in her face and the rest was splayed messily over her shoulders and tucked under the covers. Her long, dark eyelashes rested against her cheeks.

It was odd though, even in her sleep, Kiran looked a bit guarded, like she would wake up at the slightest sound. Ramses was tempted to actually try that, wanting to see her blue eyes and the emotions that always filled them fully like wine filled a cup. Ramses was content in watching her sleep, though, for now.

Kiran was not an easy woman to please, that had become apparent; but then again, Ramses wasn't the type to give up so easily.

"I will win you over." Ramses declared, and with the emotion that burned in the words, it sounded akin to a confession of love.

* * *

Kiran had slept through all of this, dreaming peacefully without stirring in her sleep even once, so much for waking at a single sound. Kiran had this vague feeling in her sleep that she was missing something very important and rare, and like she should wake up to witness whatever this thing was that was making her feel that way. Unfortunately, this was Kiran, and a vague feeling was not enough to convince her to give up on her sleep.

Oh well, sometimes you miss a moment in a story, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it.

* * *

 **Finally Kiran realizes her feelings for Ramses, and yet, she misses Ramses confession because she was too Kiran-like to bother waking up. Wow, Kiran.**

 **A jail cell is the perfect place to ponder over love, isn't it?**

 **Review, please!**


	24. Chapter 23 Revealed

**Disclaimer: I do not own Red River.**

* * *

Chapter 23 Revealed

One more month had passed, and what had Kiran spent that month doing? Absolutely nothing.

If someone had told Kiran that it took a month to sort out all of the legal details of her killing Ames, then she may have tried a bit harder to _not_ kill him. Knock him out, injure him mortally, cripple him- really, anything else if it had less legal details.

Seriously, Kiran didn't even really get a chance to speak, people mostly just talked over her head, like she was just an object in the room instead of the one who commited the crime. Shouldn't the person facing charges at least be able to speak? It was so annoying to hear other people talk for her. It all worked out in the end, though. Kiran wasn't charged with anything, well, that's not exactly true…

"Why? Why in the hell?!" Kiran yelled, pointing a finger at Ramses. "Why in the hell am I in your custody?!" Ramses just watched her outburst with a why-are-you-yelling-at-me-you-annoying-woman look.

"Because you were deemed dangerous." Ramses replied flatly.

"Dangerous my ass! That snake was the dangerous one! They should be thanking me for eradicating him!" Kiran shouted and then took a deep breath. "All of that being said," Kiran gave Ramses a serious look. "If you try and act superior to me because you are technically _in charge_ of me, I will kick your ass." Kiran threatened, and then murmured, "Not that you don't already act superior."

"I will not act any different, so stop with your threats, you annoying woman." Ramses said and Kiran shot him a glare.

Kiran knew that she probably couldn't back up those threats, she was good at fighting and a little more than okay at swordplay, but Ramses was Ramses. The only way Kiran could confidently say she matched up to Ramses was in stubbornness.

Kiran had honestly thought it would be hard to speak to Ramses after finding out she liked him. There was this...happy-ish feeling when she was around Ramses, but it wasn't _hard_ to speak to him.

There was one thing that Kiran was curious of, how did _Ramses_ feel about _her_? She had been trying really hard not to think about it, but it was knocking on the back of her skull like a hangover- which made it extremely hard to ignore. Did she even want to know? If he did like her back then it would just conflict her even more and if he didn't it would just give her a bruised heart and ego. Either way, it was really just a lose-lose situation. So, was she going to tell Ramses? No fucking way.

' _ **What if Ramses confesses to you?'**_

Kiran thought about it for a second before mentally snorting at the proposition.

' _Yeah, like that would happen. It's probably just a small crush, it'll pass.'_

* * *

Ramses almost found Kiran's outbursts cute at this point. He had compared her to a lioness before, and while he still thought that, sometimes she just reminded him of an angry kitten. Kiran's glare had eventually drifted off into a dazed expression and she didn't seem to be paying any more attention to anything happening. Ramses watched as Kiran just seemed to be staring off into space.

"Are you alright?" Ramses questioned and watched as Kiran realized that she had gotten lost in her thoughts and came back to reality. Kiran looked up and blushed.

"What? No-nothing!" Kiran spluttered out, waving her hands in front of her. Ramses raised an eyebrow at her behavior.

* * *

Seti was just standing in the corner of the room watching his two most important people act like complete idiots around each other. He had debated several times telling Ramses that Kiran liked him, because it was so obvious that she did, but concluded that he shouldn't interfere.

Still, it was mildly infuriating, they may not have been avoiding _each other_ , but they were avoiding _them_. Seti was sure that whatever it was that Kiran had back in where she came from, Ramses could convince her to stay if he'd only _try_.

Seti knew that Ramses had always been looking for a woman to rule beside him as his queen. Seti truly believed that Kiran was the only woman who could be to Ramses both his love and his queen. Seti had sensed leadership in Kiran, he had _seen_ it; that was why he knew that she was the woman Ramses was looking for. Yet, Ramses was _hesitating_ , because he truly cared for her. While that was a good thing, it still meant that Ramses risked losing Kiran.

This whole 'not interfering' thing was harder than Seti thought.

* * *

Nebet was glad that Ames was dead. Extremely glad. No words could even describe how glad she was that that snake was out of the picture. She had known that there was more to Kiran than meets the eye, but she hadn't expected her to actually kill Ames. It wasn't exactly an easy task, especially for someone untrained.

She was glad that she wasn't forced to soil her hands with snake's blood. Even as an assassin she had standards for the people she killed, that man was completely disgusting. It _was_ an order from lord Harres, though, so she _would_ have gone through with it.

It was odd that for once Ramses and Harres both wanted the same thing; Ames dead. That was an extremely rare occurrence.

Lord Harres often talked about his meeting with the supposed goddess Bastet- Kiran. That was the real reason for Nebet's interest in the woman when she met her. She wished she could have been there for Kiran and Harres' meeting. Harres said that Kiran had been hiding her true nature and Nebet would have to agree because when she met Kiran, the woman had seemed to be nothing but polite and well-behaved. Then again, she did remember a moment when she saw something else.

 _Nebet had come back with Kiran's clothes a little while later, surprised to see Kiran and Layla actually getting along. Layla didn't really like anybody, and- because of her rude and harsh nature- nobody could be bothered to deal with Layla. So seeing something like this was shocking. Nebet couldn't believe that a polite servant like Kiran who had captured her lord's- Harres, but no one was supposed to know that- interest would ever want to associate with someone like Layla._

Nebet missed Layla, but chances were that she was better off with Kiran. Even so, in the short amount of time Nebet knew her, Layla had been like a little sister. Sure, Layla was not well behaved, and her temper was obscene for a servant; but a female assassin wasn't exactly proper either. Nebet wanted to see Leila again.

"Nebet." Harres called out to her and said woman nearly jumped out of her skin. She thought he was asleep. Nebet turned over under the covers to face Harres, who was propped up on one elbow as he stared at her in concern. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing my lord." Nebet said, averting her gaze. Harres grasped her chin and made her look at him.

"I know that's not true." Harres said as he stared into her eyes. Nebet let out a defeated breath.

"I just…" Nebet bit her lip, hesitating. Harres' eyes followed the movement. "I really miss Layla."

"I don't believe I ever had the pleasure of meeting her." Harres spoke with some hidden meaning that Nebet tried to detect. "I would like to meet her." Harres smiled at her. "Naturally, my guard will have to come with me."

"Thank you." Nebet smiled, leaning forward and kissing Harres, only the sheets separating them. Harres chuckled and Nebet gave him a curious look. "What?" Nebet questioned curiously.

"I was just thinking that I'm probably the only man who has slept with you and not has his throat slit in his sleep." Then, Harres' gaze turned serious. "You do care about me don't you?"

"You know I do." Nebet replied, downtrodden, she knew where this was going.

"Then, why won't you be my wife?" Harres questioned.

"I'm not the one for you, Harres. I know there is a woman out there, but she's not me." Nebet replied and then Kissed Harres again. "But I can stick by your side until you find her."

* * *

"Huh." Kiran suddenly exclaimed and Ramses and Seti looked over to her.

"What is it?" Ramses questioned.

"Nothing, I just have a feeling that something really troublesome will happen soon."

"It already has." Ramses said and Kiran looked over to him.

"What? What is it?" Kiran questioned curiously.

"You started talking." Ramses deadpanned.

"Why, you-"

Seti just sighed.

* * *

 **Frashix: I remember you posting a review saying that you were disappointed when Kiran meets a new character and never sees them again, thank you for mentioning that! I don't think I would have kept Nebet if you hadn't written that review, and I'm really looking forward to writing her character. Though, I will have to do some slight tinkering with the plot line.**

 **Review please!**


	25. Chapter 24 Letter From Harres

Chapter 24 Letter from Harres

Two weeks had passed and everything was normal. Seti was quiet and serious, Ramses was his usual arrogant self, and Kiran was getting into trouble with the staff of Ramses' house. Well, sort of Ramses' house. Kiran had found out that this was just a smaller estate that Ramses owned, and that his real house was where his sisters and mother were. It certainly explained why Kiran had never seen them.

In fact, lately Ramses had been grumbling about 'stupid rumors' and 'sisters going to bug him me about the woman staying with me'. Apparently, not all things changed over thousands of years, namely nosy sisters.

Kiran actually sort of wanted to meet Ramses sisters, after all, anyone who could get him that annoyed would be well worth knowing. Point of clarification here, just because Kiran found out she likes Ramses didn't mean she wasn't going to try and annoy him- she had a crush, not a mental disorder.

It had already been a month and a half since Kiran found out she liked Ramses, and things really weren't all that different. Admittedly, she found him less of a jerk and actually _enjoyed_ his company. Other than that, nothing. They still fought, albeit a bit more playfully than seriously. She still called him a jerk, maybe a bit half-heartedly. Okay, maybe things had changed _a bit_ more than she thought.

Kiran had made a habit of annoying Ramses' servants. Not by giving them more work or anything- well, not intentionally. They always tried to make her wear dresses and jewelry and tried to force her and Ramses to be in the same room together. It was seriously annoying. Eventually Kiran had just gotten fed up and decided to hide to avoid them, or mislead them in some way.

Seti had started teaching her how to read and write hieroglyphs in his spare time, and Kiran had started to read a lot of the books in Ramses' library. Occasionally she would sneak into his office to read some _totally not confidential_ documents. She was being extra careful, though, not wanting a repeat of what had happened _last time._

Egypt wasn't really in great shape, is what she had found out. Every document practically spelled CORRUPTION. It was almost unbelievable. Egypt really needed Ramses, but Kiran was fearful that he wouldn't end up as Pharaoh.

In history, it said that a huge part of Ramses becoming king was because he was favored by Horemheb, but apparently the real Ramses hates him and vice versa. It made Kiran wonder if maybe something had changed that wasn't supposed to. Though, maybe the history books were just wrong. Either way, Kiran was in the dark about that.

She did _hope_ that Ramses would become King, he deserved it and she knew that he would fulfill the position admirably.

Kiran secretly admired Ramses for his amazing leadership skills, she really had no idea what to do about herself and the place she was supposed to rule. She had no knowledge of how to rule a kingdom or how to make it better, or anything of the like. She supposed that she would have Adamson, but _she_ ultimately had to rule. The thought of it really scared her. Yet, part of her was excited- no, more like contented. Yeah, she had always felt she was missing something in her life, like some huge responsibility, maybe that was it.

Kiran had never seriously doubted that she would leave to go back to her own time... Ok, maybe she _did_ , but that was a momentary lapse of judgment. She liked Ramses a lot and Seti was like a brother to her, Kiran was even getting pretty attached to Layla; but she couldn't stay. It was nice while it lasted, though, and she was sure she would make sure to enjoy the rest of the eight and a half months left.

* * *

Layla was enjoying her time with Kiran. Though, she hadn't really gotten to know Ramses or Seti. Seti didn't talk much at all and Ramses still seemed mildly distrustful of her. Kiran, though, welcomed her with open arms. Kiran stuck by her, making sure that no one bothered or looked down on her. It was like having a mother- or what she thought it would be like. The analogy was odd, considering Kiran's age, but Layla had a sister and Kiran's kind of care was decidedly different. Kiran was warm and kind to her, almost enough to be a bit overbearing at times. Yet, whenever Layla did something wrong, Kiran could get scolding and mildly terrifying.

When Layla had first met Kiran, she had thought her too demure, then scary, and now she thought Kiran was a whole lot of things. Kiran was mature and immature, scary and kind, arrogant and respectful- when she wanted to be. Layla had always thought that a person could only be one thing or another, but Kiran wasn't. Layla felt like she was learning something important every second she was with Kiran.

Yet, a part of her really missed Nebet. It was like having her sister around again and it was hard without her, even with Kiran there. Layla wished Nebet was there.

Layla's thoughts were interrupted when she saw Kiran walk off in some random direction. Layla followed her and watched her as she sat down, right along the Nile with the boats that were tied to the docks. It was sunset and Kiran's golden hair seemed to brilliantly soak in the golds and oranges of the scene. Layla found herself staring on in awe. She had heard the rumors, but sometimes Kiran really did seem like a goddess. Powerful and wise, but dangerous and odd. Kiran truly looked like a lion along the Nile.

Layla hid behind a pillar when Ramses walked up behind Kiran. Kiran spared a glance at Ramses before turning back to the scene, as if deeming that Ramses wasn't a threat. Then, Kiran motioned for Ramses to sit next to her.

Layla always felt so uncomfortable watching interactions between those two. No, not because they liked each other- and they did, even Layla could see that- but because Layla _knew_ how important Ramses was, and Kiran interacted with him like all of that meant nothing. It those instances when they were together, Kiran was not a goddess and Ramses was not Egypt's most influential general. In those instances, they were absolute equals and both seemed to suit each other perfectly.

Because of all this- even though she still felt _very_ uncomfortable- Layla continued to watch.

"I'm going back." Kiran spoke, her voice was firm, not in a commanding way, just resolute.

"Back to where you came from?" Ramses questioned in what seemed like an impassive tone, but there was something else to it.

"Yes, when the year is up. I have people there...a lot of people who need me." Kiran spoke, and once again Layla felt as if she was missing something, but this time it seemed that Ramses was in the same boat.

"Your cousin?" Ramses questioned. Layla was surprised at how easily Ramses could make questions seem like things you _had_ to answer.

"For one." Kiran stated simply, but elaborated a bit at the annoyed look Ramses gave her. "There are more, that's all I'm saying." Once again, there was that resolute tone. Kiran wasn't daring him to argue, she was telling him it wouldn't do any good _to_ argue. Then, gone was serious Kiran and in was the usual. "I still think you're a jerk-"

"And I still think you're annoying."

"But," Kiran ignored Ramses input and her voice seemed to soften. "I think you'll make a wonderful King." Kiran said and then came the part that made Layla almost fall over and made her openly gape.

Kiran. Kissed. Ramses. Okay, on the cheek, but it was still a _kiss._

Then, Kiran got up and walked back over, Layla quickly hid herself even more. She was still in shock at what she had just witnessed when a pang of sadness hit her. That was a goodbye, though, wasn't it? Kiran was telling Ramses that she was leaving 'when the year was up'. How much of the year was left, how much time until Layla lost her? No, Layla would try her hardest to make Kiran stay. No matter what Kiran had where she came from, Layla was _sure_ they could show Kiran that she had _more_ here.

* * *

Kiran knew what she did, she didn't regret it. No, she did _not_ just show her feelings for Ramses, her kiss did _not_ mean that. She was sure that Ramses had gotten the message too. What was that message? Simple. 'Goodbye, I can't stay.' Her words held a different message, but _not_ a contradicting one. 'Become king, you'll make a great ruler. You have the blessing and support of a supposed goddess'.

Kiran _was_ going back, and there would be nothing to stop her.

* * *

"General Ramses." Seti called out to his general, he had witnessed the scene and still had every intention of trying to get Kiran to stay. "Harres sent out a letter to inform you of his visit in a couple of weeks." Suddenly Ramses was brought out of whatever mood he was in and scowled.

"That's the second worst news I've heard all day." Ramses spoke and Seti turned away to leave Ramses to think.

* * *

 **Extra**

As Seti walked into the residence, He stopped abruptly and turned to the side.

"What _are_ you doing?" Seti questioned and Layla fell to the ground from behind a pillar with a _very_ undignified yelp.

"Uh…" Layla searched for a response as she was still sitting on the ground. "Spying?" Layla said and winced at her own response.

"...just provide support to the cause." Seti said seriously and walked away.

"I will!" Layla agreed.

Mission 'get Kiran to stay by developing her relationship with Ramses' has been formed.

* * *

 **And thus, The Seti and Layla alliance was formed for a common goal in mind to help Egypt and LATN fans** _ **finally**_ **get some more romance. You can all thank them whenever Kiran and Ramses are thrown together in a** _ **suspicious**_ **situation.**

 **And _yes_ , I did subtly sneak the title of this fanfiction in there. I just couldn't resist.**

 **That aside, Should Harres and Nebet be together or should he find someone better suited for him like Nebet said?**

 **Please Review!**


	26. Chapter 25 Who Is Harres?

Chapter 25 Who is Harres?

Two weeks had passed since Kiran had said her goodbye to Ramses in anticipation of her actual leave. Not once did Kiran feel embarrassed about the way she did it, it didn't actually mean anything more than goodbye. Kiran would say the actual words when her year was up, for now she had made her point.

There was one thing that had struck her as suspicious recently- actually it was more like some _many_ things. Kiran, despite the pretense she would put up, was no idiot. Things like that did _not_ happen naturally.

First had been when all of a sudden all of Ramses' servants were busy and requested- more like begged- Kiran to bring Ramses his diner. Second was where Kiran somehow _lost her balance_ and was caught by Ramses; Kiran only lost her balance when she ran into something or was too tired to walk- neither of those things happened. Third was when the servants had pointed Kiran in the wrong direction and she had ended up in Ramses' bathing area...while he was bathing- she had just turned and walked out. Forth was when Seti bailed on Kiran's hieroglyph study lesson and Ramses was forced to take his place. Fifth- and thankfully final- had been when Kiran had _somehow_ gotten water poured over her in Ramses presence so her entire outfit was see through. Things like that did not happen often, and _all_ of those things most _certainly_ did not happen in a _week._

Nope, those things just didn't happen, not even to her.

So, Kiran had not especially been surprised when by some _miraculous coincidence_ , Kiran just _happened_ to get caught by Ramses when she snuck in to read some of his scrolls...in the _middle of the night,_ when Ramses went to sleep _hours ago_ , when his room was _like a mile_ in the _other_ direction

Ramses stared at her with a look of emotion so well hidden, that even _she_ couldn't hope to know what he was thinking.

"At least we're not in a bedroom this time." Kiran stated as if it made the fact that she was reading _confidential_ documents any better. Ramses look of careful blankness seemed to turn even blanker, and that was a feat she hadn't thought possible.

"What _are_ you doing?" Ramses demanded in a measured tone.

"Um, _not_ reading confidential documents?" Kiran said sheepishly, but her amusement was obvious. "Harres seems to be causing you quite a bit of trouble, mind telling me the reason for that." It wasn't a request. Most would be appalled by the way Kiran unashamedly broached on the subject and in such a rude manner, Ramses just walked over to a chair and sat. Somehow, he managed to make even _sitting_ look intimidating.

"I killed his brother." Ramses spoke, his tone was blank, not cold, just...blank. Kiran didn't gape in absolute horror, or gasp, or jerk back. All she did was stare Ramses straight in the eyes and ask, "Then I trust it was for a good reason."

"He was selling information, planning to start a war against Egypt and steal the throne." Kiran nodded at the explanation given.

"I understand. I can't especially blame Harres for hating you, though. I can imagine he and his brother were close?" Kiran registered Ramses' nod. "Then it's understandable."

"Many people would react a bit more harshly." Ramses stated, not completely taken aback or appalled like so many would be at Kiran's reaction- or lack thereof. Instead, he only seemed mildly surprised. Kiran smirked and Ramses in amusement.

"And you still think of me as most people?"

"No, I don't." Even Kiran couldn't pick out the multitude of meanings packed into that one statement. That was the note they left on that night, and then Kiran and Ramses went to sleep.

* * *

Harres spared a look back at Nebet from his position on his horse. She was beautiful in every way. Long, straight black hair fell down her back before stopping at her hips. Her black eyes were always so unreadable and he never knew if it was because of the color or if that was just her. Her dark skin was scarred- mostly lightly, but there were some more noticeable scars. She wasn't the tame kind of beauty that so many other woman that threw themselves at him possessed. No, she was wild and beautiful.

The horse she was riding on was a gift, the only gift she had ever allowed him to give her. He offered jewelry, she rejected it. He offered clothes, she gave them away. He offered a better life and she said she couldn't accept it. He offered to give her the horse she had been gazing at and she had looked like she might cry with how grateful she was.

The horse was large, but sleek and slim and so fast that he could leave any other in the dust. His coat was tan with black socks and an equally black mane. Nebet had refused to cut the horse's mane or to ride the horse with a blanket or saddle. "He doesn't like it," She had said.

Nebet was an assassin, lithe and deadly. So, it had come as a great surprise when Harres had found out she liked animals and children. Yes, Nebet did like children, very much. Though, he had asked her if she ever wanted any and she said that she wasn't sure she could properly take care of something so small and fragile. "These hands were made for snapping necks," She said. "Not for handling children." Harres disagreed, and he often found himself thinking of Nebet holding a small child and gazing down at it lovingly.

Harres was sure that Nebet had no idea of her effect on him. He would do anything, absolutely anything for her.

Harres turned to face forward once again as his eyes narrowed in bitterness.

Ramses now had someone like that, too. _Kiran_ was her name, right? There was something more to her under that polite facade she had put up, _a lot_ more. How did he know? Well, he didn't really _know,_ but there was something there that reminded him of Nebet when she acted to someone she was supposed to assassinate. No, Harres felt nothing romantic for Kiran. He just thought that if she really _was_ anything like Nebet, then Ramses didn't deserve her. Ramses didn't deserve to be happy after what he did, so Harres would make sure he never was.

"Wipe that look off your face, my lord." Nebet said bluntly. Harres whipped his head around to see that she was now riding beside him. Leave it to Nebet to sneak up on him while on a horse. "You aren't allowed to look like that." Then her blunt tone turned dark. "Let me deal with whatever is making you look that way."

That was why Harres wouldn't tell Nebet about his reason for hating Ramses. That wasn't something he would burden Nebet with. Sure, he had ordered her to assassinate others, Nebet had insisted that it was the only way she could repay him. Ramses was Harres' grudge, though. His hatred for Ramses was his and his alone.

"It's nothing you need to deal with." Harres snapped out of his bitter thoughts.

"...Alright." Nebet turned forward again, her beautiful black hair swinging with the motion.

Harres felt even more bitter when he thought about that one fact; _She has insisted that it was the only way she could repay him._

" _Be my wife."_

He could definitely think of other ways for her to repay him, but-

" _I'm not the one for you, Harres."_

Once again, he disagreed. Harres spared a look at Nebet out of the corner of his eye. He would make her come around, no matter how long it took.

* * *

"Harres has arrived."

* * *

 **Extra- How they met**

An eighteen year old Harres stared at the young girl in front of him. She seemed to be about eleven and she was undoubtedly pretty with her elegant, but sharp features and black hair and eyes. Oh...and she was holding a dagger to his neck.

"This...is a rather interesting situation." Harres drawled. The girl remained still, but the bleeding cuts and quick rise and fall of her chest showed that she was not doing well.

"Harres Asra, I have come to take your life." The black haired girl stated firmly, despite her condition.

"To send a child assassin." Harres' tone wasn't offended, just disgusted. "How low can one sink?" The girl did not waver as her blade remained pressed to his throat. All of a sudden the girl's leg was kicked from under her and her wrist was grabbed. Harres spun her around in his grip until he had one hand on her still-blade-clutching wrist and another around her waist to make sure she didn't escape. He carefully disarmed her and kicked the blade away. The girl struggled to get out of his grip.

"You're employers will be dead within the hour." Harres stated, but it was more of a promise. "You are now safe." The girl stopped struggling and Harres let her go. She quickly spun around and searched his eyes, seeming to relax when she saw that he was indeed telling the truth. "I will take you in."

"Why? There is nothing I can provide for you." The girl finally spoke again.

"I don't like the thought of children having to kill." Harres stated bluntly.

"You are naive." The girl spat bitterly, then her expression softened. "I can only repay you by killing." Harres went silent for a moment before speaking again.

"Then you can start repaying me in five years." Harres spoke.

He had never known just how much that girl would give him. Happiness, love, a reason to live without his brother. He was eternally thankful for that day, knife to the throat and all.

* * *

 **Go Layla and Seti! I told you they would do something.**

 **Now we know the reason for Ramses' and Harres' animosity. Too bad for Ramses, Harres will definitely make his relationship with Kiran harder.**

 **Also, this chapter we got to see exactly how whipped Harres is. (The answer is** _ **very**_ **if you didn't quite catch that)**

 **Yeah...so these extras might become a regular thing, you guys okay with that?**

 **Please review!**


	27. Chapter 26 So We Meet Again

Chapter 26 So We Meet Again

"Harres has arrived." Seti was the bearer of the bad news, as it always seemed to be.

Kiran and Ramses had been playing a board game. What had Ramses called it? Senet, she thought. Kiran had heard about it a few times because of her interest in ancient Egypt, but her interest was in Egypt's _history, not_ its culture.

"Has he?" Ramses scowled. Kiran respectfully kept her mouth shut, it was none of her business. Much as it pained her to keep quiet- seriously, it was like a fish trying to run the mile in the desert- she knew her input wouldn't help. "I suppose it would only be _polite_ to greet him."

"I suppose." Seti said with the smallest bit of mirth that Kiran was almost sure she had imagined. Ramses got up and so did Kiran.

' _It will be interesting to see how this all works out.'_ Kiran thought in amusement, but she was worried for Ramses. She wasn't worried because Harres might harm him- Ramses could take care of himself- but because it she thought it must be hard to look the person whose brother you killed in the face, Ramses hid it well, but it was still there. It wasn't regret or guilt, but something else...acceptance. It was almost as if Ramses was paying penance, she scowled at the thought.

Harres came into view and with him was...Nebet?! Kiran stumbled as Ramses stopped in front of them. Her eyes widened for a moment before she got her emotions under control. It was definitely Nebet, her beauty was memorable.

"Nebet?" Kiran asked tentatively- which was odd, extremely so, Ramses and Seti even shot her weird looks. Nebet looked up at her and her eyes did something weird, even Kiran couldn't really tell what it meant.

"Where's Layla?" Nebt asked.

"Oh, uh-" Kiran was a bit taken aback, but before she could answer, Layla walked in.

"Nebet?" Layla questioned before she took a small step forward, eyes widening. Then, she ran to Nebet and hugged her, Nebet catching her in her arms. "Why? Why? Where did you go?"

Kiran and Harres looked at the scene with warm expressions, while Seti and Ramses looked on questioningly.

"Do you…" Ramses questioned Kiran confusedly. "know her?" Kiran turned towards him with raised brows before taking on a look of realization.

"Oh." Kiran exclaimed.

"Oh?" Ramses questioned.

"I never told you."

"Told me?"

"I forgot because I didn't know Nebet had any relation to Harres."

"Didn't know?"

"Geez," Seti barked in annoyance. "out with it already." Also, inadvertently startling the touching reunion.

"Nebet helped me get ready for the party back at _Ames_ ' estate." Kiran explained, still saying Ames' name with disgust.

"Yes..." Nebet continued, looking to Harres before taking his nod as permission to continue. "I was spying. I am really a servant of lord Harres, I apologize for the confusion."

"No problem." Kiran dismissed. Nebet spared a barely perceivable look back at Harres before looking back to Kiran.

"Do you mind showing me around this estate, I'm afraid I won't be able to navigate it effectively if I don't know where things are. Layla, why don't you came, too?" Nebet questioned. Kiran's eyes narrowed before returning to normal so quickly that Nebet wasn't even sure it really happened. Then, she spared a quick look over at Ramses, who caught her eye for a second in a silent answer to her silent question.

" _Will you be alright?"_

" _Don't worry for me you annoying woman."_

"Alright, let's go." Kiran said and turned to leave, Layla and Nebet following. Seti decided that there was nothing else he could do but leave Ramses and Harres alone.

* * *

"I know what you did." Kiran stated as she fell back to stand near Nebet, while Layla happily showed her around the estate. Nebet looked at her with a small smile- yes, a smile, not a smirk.

"And what would that be?" Nebet questioned in a feigned tone of curiosity. Kiran scoffed, but couldn't hold back a smile of her own.

"You got me and Layla to leave so they could talk." That on its own wasn't _so_ impressive, but knowing that Seti would leave them alone showed a very attentive eye. "You planned it all out with a sentence."

"You really are like Harres said." Nebet complimented. "Why don't you come back with us when we leave to go back?" Nebet offered.

"Thanks for the offer," Kiran thanked dryly. "but you and I both know that offer isn't genuine." Then Kiran stopped walking and Nebet stopped beside her. "Why are you offering this to me? Why not Seti? He's been by Ramses' side longer, surely his absence would leave more of an effect. I've only known him for four months, me leaving will make no difference." Nebet gave her a blank stare before turning forward and walking again.

"Perhaps."

' _You really don't know, do you?'_

* * *

"What are your intentions in coming here, Harres?" Ramses asked coldly. Harres smirked back, but the action was equally cold.

"Intentions?" Harres questioned mockingly. "All I came to do was bring Nebet to visit Layla." Then Harres' look darkened. "As for my _plans_ , you already know that it's to make your life a living hell."

"...And Kiran? Do you have any plan of harming her?" Ramses asked with barely contained rage. Harres' face went blank as he stared back at Ramses, then turned and left the room with only two words as a parting gift.

"Who knows?"

* * *

 **Extra- before Seti came in to say Harres had arrived**

Ramses set a board game down in front of Kiran as she sat at his desk reading all of the confidential documents he hadn't shown her. Ramses had figured that she would just find and read them anyway.

To Ramses it was a show of trust.

To Kiran it was just because Ramses knew it wouldn't be hard to kill her if she tried to spill Egypt's secrets. Oh how very, _very_ wrong she was.

"What is this?" Kiran questioned, gesturing to the game with distaste.

"Senet." Ramses said blankly.

"I _hate_ board games Ramses, _hate them._ " Kiran said strongly, looking Ramses straight in the eye.

"Why?" Ramses asked simply, Kiran kept silent. "Will you?"

Kiran stared back at Ramses with a conflicted expression. That was the first time he had ever asked a question without making it seem like an order or alternatively using it to fish for information or antagonize her.

"...Ok." Kiran said with much difficulty. "Just this once, Ramses."

' _Just this once, just for you.'_

A vision of game pieces clattering against the ground and the disappointed faces of Kiran's parents flashed before her eyes before she moved the papers out of their way to play Senet.

' _Only you, Ramses.'_

* * *

Despite Kiran's insistence that she would play Senet _'just this once'_ with Ramses, he had brought the game in the very next day. Kiran scowled at him as he set the board down on the table. Then he just had to go and repeat those damned words again.

"Will you?"

It was like they were some magic spell or something with the effect they had on her. Kiran knew, though, that the real reason was much simpler. It was _the way_ Ramses said the words. Nothing antagonistic, or patronizing, or manipulative. It wasn't an order, but a question. It was like Ramses was taking her into consideration, like he saw her as an equal. So…

"Last time, Ramses."

* * *

 **Sorry this chapter was a bit short, but there will be longer and more interesting chapters to come.**

 **If any of you are desperately wondering when Ramses is going to make a move on Kiran, the answer is...eventually.**

 **Please review!**


	28. Chapter 27 Love?

**I promised a longer and more interesting chapter, so here you go.**

 **36 Reviews, 20 Favorites, 23 followers. I love you guys, I would never have gotten this far without you, and- as cheesy as it sounds- you guys are a huge part of my inspiration.**

* * *

Chapter 27 Love?

Seti walked in on Ramses and Kiran playing Senet, again. Once again, Ramses stared at Kiran whenever she was too distracted with the game to notice. Once again, Kiran seemed to start considering knocking the board off the table before her eyes widened and she turned calm again.

Oh, yeah, did he mention that they were so absorbed in their game that they didn't notice him? Some warriors they were.

"You would expect someone who hates board games to be bad at them." Ramses stated as he moved a piece on the board.

"Not...always." Kiran mumbled back distractedly as she moved a piece of her own, then smirked.

"You win again." Ramses said coolly, but a sliver of annoyance was evident in his voice. "I suppose you have divine luck."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Kiran inquired curiously.

"Good luck in Senet is said to be blessing from the Gods." Ramses stated and watched for her reaction. Kiran opened her mouth to laugh at the prospect before closing it and blinking.

"You know what, a few months ago I would have called bullshit, but I really don't know now." Being forced back in time, suddenly learning the language, and gaining information about a Goddess she had barely even _heard of_ does change a person's perspective on religion, if only a small bit.

*Ahem* Seti cleared his throat. "Your _guests_ ," Kiran briefly wondered what Harres did to make Seti so pissed. "are waiting in the dining hall." Kiran could see Ramses' happiness drain from his face with that one sentence.

' _Wait...so playing this game really makes him happy? Ah, great. Now I'll feel guilty if I ever stop playing.'_

' _ **Notice when you said, 'playing this game really makes him happy', you omitted the 'with me' part, why do you think that is?'**_ Kiran's conscience chimed in, but she ignored it.

Ramses got up and walked out of the room to go see Harres, scowl firmly in place. Kiran just stayed put, staring down at the board. Seti stayed at the door and raised a brow at her.

"Aren't you going too?" Seti asked and Kiran looked up at him.

"Wow, Seti." Kiran drawled sarcastically. "I think that's the longest sentence you've said to me in two months." Seti, in a rare show of actual emotion, rolled his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Seti questioned.

"Wrong?" Kiran mocked before Seti gave her a flat look and she stared back down at the game board. "Eh, this and that. Ramses and...Ramses." Kiran scoffed in vaguely fond annoyance. "That jerk."

"I don't believe he actually did anything." Seti stated, mentally wishing Kiran would just _talk_ so he wouldn't have to.

"Is talking really that tiring, Seti?" Kiran mocked, as if reading his mind, but her eyes were still on the game board. Then she let out a breath and looked back up at Seti. "Not intentionally."

"...What?" Seti questioned in confusion and Kiran rolled her eyes.

"He didn't do anything...intentionally." Kiran replied, eyes flickering to the game board once again.

"What did he do?" Seti inquired.

"What didn't he?" Kiran replied vaguely. "He's Ramses."

"Why do you hate board games?" Seti continued his questioning. All of a sudden the Senet board and pieces clattered to the floor in one harsh movement.

"That..." Kiran gritted out threateningly. "is not information you are cleared for." Then Kiran calmed down and looked up at Seti guiltily. "Sorry, please, just...avoid that question in the future."

"Alright. Then...why play?" Seti questioned, seemingly having come to terms with the fact that he would actually have to talk. Kiran sighed.

"I know what answer you're looking for, Seti." Kiran grumbled before sighing again. "Honestly, as much as I hate to admit it, that answer is the actual one." Kiran looked Seti straight in the eyes. "Because Ramses asked me." Seti opened his mouth to say something, but Kiran cut him off. "That's only the simplest version of the answer though."

"Then what's the full answer?" Seti inquired and Kiran looked back down at the board and fallen pieces.

"'Just this once, just for you' is the answer. Only, just this once became anytime." Then Kiran looked up at Seti again. "He asked me, as in, an actual request. I just couldn't say no. Whether that's because it was _Ramses_ who asked or because I like the thought of being talked to like an equal is debatable." Then Kiran raised her hand and flicked it over at Seti in a patronizing motion. "Now, shoo. You've more than exceeded your daily question limit."

"And what would that limit be?" Seti questioned.

"None." Kiran replied bluntly and Seti gave her a deadpan look. "What, it's me, what did you expect?"

* * *

"Nebet?" Layla questioned the older, dark-haired female who was currently keeping her company. Nebet had once again, tactfully dismissed herself, bringing Layla along with her, from the room with Ramses and Harres.

"Yes?" Nebet, questioned, a bit distractedly.

"What's wrong with Ramses and Harres?" Layla asked and Nebet whipped around to face her, all trace of distraction gone.

"What?" Nebet questioned is a tone that seemed to want to be dismissive at the idea, but desperately failed. Nebet must have let her guard down. Layla snorted inelegantly.

"Please, I may be young, but I'm not stupid or oblivious. You should know that, Nebet." Layla stated.

"How did you know?" Nebet questioned and Layla rolled her eyes in response.

"How could I not? It's obvious. Harres seems to hold disdain for Ramses and Ramses appears more than annoyed with Harres. You have us leave the room every time they're both together. You seriously expected me not to know?" Layla half-ranted, an annoyed look on her face.

"...I had hoped you wouldn't." Nebet finally sighed out. "Layla, even I don't know the details, just that there is a certain amount of animosity between the two."

"I just hope that Kiran doesn't get caught up in it. She's good, Nebet. She's a good person." Layla stated with conviction. Yes, recklessness and other flaws aside, Kiran was a good person.

"...Me, too."

* * *

Ramses sat at his desk, papers sprawled across and some even having fallen to the floor. Ramses himself wasn't in a much better state. His Hands were buried in his hair, making it more messy than could be considered tasteful and more of a scowl than usual on his face. He had just met with Harres, much as he would have liked to avoid the man, and was not pleased with the way it had went at all.

He was simply seeing if he could _maybe_ \- because as sure of his political skills as Ramses was, there was just no reasoning with the man- get Harres to stop causing trouble for him. He had enough trouble with Egypt's current state and Kiran taking in that stray (Layla), for him to deal with Harres' long-lasting revenge.

Despite that, it was more what Harres had said rather that the failed negotiation.

" _You seem to really like Kiran, don't you? I wonder...what would happen if I took her away from you? After all, what real reason does she have to stay?"_

"None." Ramses said bitterly. Kiran had no reason to stay, she was planning on leaving anyway, who was to say she wouldn't want to stay with Harres until she went back to her country? Ramses grunted in annoyance.

"Ramses?" A voice called out, it was Kiran's. Ramses looked up at her and Kiran stared at him blankly for a moment before speaking again. "I was going to make a joke, because for once in your life you look less than stellar, but I don't get in the habit of kicking a man while he's down." Kiran sat across from Ramses. "So, what's up?"

Suddenly Ramses leaned over the desk so that his and Kiran's faces were barely inches apart. Kiran blushed and started to stand up and subsequently bring her face _away,_ when Ramses grabbed the back of her head so she couldn't stand up any further.

"What _are_ you doing, Ramses?" Kiran question with a tone somewhere in between annoyance, shock, and embarrassment.

"Are you really planning on leaving?" Ramses questioned, keeping his eyes on hers while still not moving.

"Okay, Ramses." Kiran's tone turned to pure annoyance. "First off, I would talk about this if we were in any different position than we're in now. Second, you already know the answer to that question."

"Really?" Ramses questioned in an undefinable tone. Then he brought his hands down to Kiran's sides and tugged her up so she was kneeling on the desk while simultaneously standing up so he still hovered over her. "What about in this position."

" _Not even marginally better._ " Kiran hissed. "Seriously, Ramses, what exactly is this about?" Kiran's voice wavered as she looked into Ramses eyes. Whatever was making him act this way was serious.

"Is there anything here that you'll miss, any reason for you to stay?" Ramses asked, an almost...hopeful look in his eyes that made Kiran's breath hitch.

"Fo-" Kiran's voice wavered again. "For the first question...yes. I'll miss Seti, Layla, Nebet, and...you." Kiran resisted the urge to turn away. "For the second...not enough of a reason, Ramses." Then Kiran glared and brought her head forward with a considerable amount of force.

"Ouch!" Ramses let out a pained shout as his hands flew to his head. Kiran got off the desk, standing in front of it, across from Ramses as she waited for him to regain his composure. When he did, she looked back at Ramses with a slight glare.

"Never do that again." Kiran ordered strongly. "Seriously, are you drunk or something?" Then Kiran put up her hand and shook her head. "Nevermind, I don't care. You shouldn't tease me, Ramses. It didn't work out last time, it won't work out ever. Find some woman who actually wants to play your game, I don't take kindly to being used like that." With those words, Kiran left the room. Ramses sighed wearily, though slightly less terrible feeling after talking to Kiran. Ramses scoffed to himself. She had scolded and _head butted_ him and he felt _better_ after seeing her? Love really was- Ramses stilled and then cursed himself.

"Love?" Ramses buried his face into his hands again. "What am I getting myself into?"

Now, how many times had he asked himself that question in regards to Kiran?

* * *

 **That head but was well deserved. Honestly Ramses, will you even learn?**

 **Kiran's oblivious as always, and Seti and Layla wonder why their relationship is so slow to develop.**

 **Guess what, I'm pretty sure that Seti spoke more in this chapter than in all of the other chapters combined. To quote Kiran; "Is talking really that tiring, Seti?"**

 **I love Layla, everyone underestimates her and she just laughs in their faces about it. Granted, she is fifteen, so underestimation is sort of justified.**

 **Please review!**


	29. Chapter 28 How Karma Works

Chapter 28 How Karma Works

"Stupid Ramses! Stupid crush! Stupid god damned hormones!" Kiran ranted loudly- in her own room, of course. "Why does he have to be so hot?! Why does he have to be such a womanizing jerk?! Why is this damned crush not going away already?!"

' _Is it possible that I have more than just a crush? That I like him, or maybe...love him?'_

' _ **You'll never know unless you make a move, or alternatively let**_ **him** _ **make a move on**_ **you.** _ **'**_

 _'Not an option.'_ Kiran dismissed easily. She would hate to find herself getting attached. That wouldn't do her any good. Best case scenario it made leaving all the much harder, worst case...she might find herself not wanting to leave at all.

 _ **'Is that really such a bad thing?'**_

 _'Of course it is.'_ It wasn't an option.

Why did Ramses Insist on getting closer to her? He could just go and find some other woman-

Kiran felt a small pang in her heart.

"Damned. I'm an idiot." Wasn't _she_ the one who had told _him_ it wouldn't work?

" _Yes, when the year is up. I have people there...a lot of people who need me."_

" _For the second...not enough of a reason, Ramses."_

" _I have obligations back where I come from, Ramses."_

Then why the hell did she care? She shouldn't, she really _really_ shouldn't. Ramses was Ramses, powerful general and future King of Egypt. Kiran was Kiran, hot-headed girl with only an unknown cousin to call family and the future ruler of a small modern day kingdom. Completely different people from completely different times. Kiran couldn't- wouldn't- won't let herself get wrapped up in Ramses' pace.

"Why am I letting myself get all torn up over this?" Kiran questioned herself exasperatedly. Kiran took a deep breath and cleared Ramses, love, and the possibility of not leaving from her mind.

' _ **You're going to keep ignoring it all?'**_ Once again, Kiran's conscience was ignored.

"Okay!" Kiran shouted, uncharacteristically chipper. "Time to go look at all of Egypt's top secrets again!" Then Kiran let out a laugh that was dangerously close to a cackle and mentally admitted that she may be just a bit too low on sleep before walking out of the room. She snuck down the halls, even though it might not have been necessary, considering that Ramses had let her read most of the documents already, but she suspected that Ramses was hiding some of them, and she was determined to find out why.

Once Kiran was in the office-like area where the documents were kept, she carefully and quietly shut the door. Then, she walked over to Ramses desk and sat down.

"Now, if I were an over-paranoid, arrogant, womanizing, jerk general, where would I put my most confidential documents?" Kiran mused with an expression of mischief that included a smile that was stuck halfway between a grin and a smirk. Then she abruptly slammed her fist down on the desk. A small echo sounded and Kiran snorted. "That's just too easy."

Then, Kiran ran her fingers around the edge of the desk. Finding nothing, she got out of the chair and sat on the ground, looking up at the underneath of the desk. There was a barely perceivable crack.

"That's less easy." Kiran admitted begrudgingly. Kiran worked her nails into the crack before tilting it, hissing a bit at the way her nails bent, and then tugging. The false bottom was now cracked open enough for Kiran to stick her hand in. Instead of that, Kiran put her fingertips in and tugged it down again. The false bottom clattered to the ground and Kiran shuffled back as a scorpion fell from the slot...Then, she dropped a pot on it- effectively killing it and the pot.

"Maybe I should have listened to my own personality analysis of 'over-paranoid'." Kiran said as she desperately tried to recover from the mini heart attack that Ramses' trap had caused her. "What in the hell is wrong with him?!"

Kiran used her foot to shuffle around in the broken pot pieces to make sure the scorpion was really dead- it was- before looking in the slot. Very carefully of course, Bastet forbid there be _more._ There was only a box left. Kiran took it out...it was locked. She couldn't even snort anymore, it was just getting painful.

"Why, Ramses? _Why?_ " Kiran questioned before giving a long-suffering sigh. Then she took a pin from her hair and wriggled it around in the lock until it opened. Kiran felt that she could cry in relief. Then she looked into the box...which was empty. Kiran's face faded into a blank look before she threw the box across the room and got up, dusting herself off.

"Fuck that, I'm done for the night." Kiran said and left the room to get to some sweet, glorious sleep- cursing Ramses the entire way.

* * *

Ramses entered his office the next morning and paused, raising an amused eyebrow. A broken pot, dead scorpion, broken box, false bottom of his desk, and a bent hairpin all littered the floor. It wasn't hard to guess what had happened, it _had_ been exactly what Ramses intended, after all.

"What happened here?" Seti, who had entered behind him, questioned with a half appalled, half sighing voice. Ramses lips twitched before he broke into laughter. Seti raised his eyebrows at him before he took on a look of realization and shook his head.

"And you would think you two would stop doing things like this after you realized you liked each other." Seti sighed. If Ramses wasn't so busy laughing, he _might_ have caught the way Seti said 'you liked _each other_ ', but he was and so he didn't. Ah, Karma at its finest.

* * *

 **Extra- Misunderstanding (during the two weeks Layla and Seti were getting Kiran into a bunch of** _ **coincidences**_ **)**

Layla and Seti were baffled at how little luck they were having with getting Kiran and Ramses together. Really, how could two people be so stubborn?! Seriously, they had Kiran walk in on Ramses _naked_ and had Ramses see Kiran when she was _practically_ naked and the two didn't even _admire_ the others body. It wasn't possible, it was absolutely insane! Yet, it was true.

"Those two should just jump each other already." Layla grumbled and Seti nodded agreeably.

"Seriously." Seti grumbled in turn. Suddenly Layla snapped her fingers and turned to Seti.

"I have an idea." Layla stated proudly and Seti raised his brow, urging her on. "Let's lock them in Ramses' bedroom together."

"Really?" Seti questioned, unimpressed. Layla rolled her eyes.

"Well, _something_ is bound to happen if we leave them in there long enough. It's a _bedroom_. If there's any attraction _at all_ , then _something_ will happen." Layla said like Seti was an idiot. Seti furrowed his brows.

"You do realize that I'm six years older that you, right?" Seti questioned. Layla just scoffed at him.

"Kiran is nine years younger that Ramses and _still_ manages to make him look like an idiot sometimes." Layla stated with a kind of pride before sticking her tongue out at Seti it a completely undignified way that just seemed to _fit_ her, servant to royalty or not.

"That is _not_ the point and- oh, never mind. We'll try your idea." Seti conceded, making a very-near-scowling expression as Layla cheered.

* * *

Layla and Seti went to Ramses room to make sure the door was lockable and there was food- just in case they had to lock Kiran and Ramses in for a long time, because who knew how long it would take before pure attraction and the presence of a bed would take over. Unfortunately, Layla slipped on a piece of cloth on the floor, Knocking Seti over with her and landing them both on the edge of Ramses bed. Layla landed on Seti's chest with an 'oomph' and Seti grimaced as he nearly hit his head on a part of the bed's frame.

Then...Ramses walked in. Said general looked at the scene with a mixture of amusement and...never mind, it was just pure amusement. He wasted no time in clearing his throat. Seti and Layla- who turned her head so fast that she hit Seti in the face with her mass of blonde waves, said male grimacing in turn- looked up at him with expressions of mortification and horror, respectively. This just served to amuse Ramses even more. Pleased with their reactions, Ramses turned around and walked out, but not before saying, "Next time maybe find some place other than my room to flaunt your relationship."

"Wai-" Both began to shout, but the door cut them off. They both went silent before finally realizing their position and going red. Layla scurried off of Seti and he jumped up once she was off of him.

"I, um-"

"I'm gonna-"

They both spoke before simultaneously turning away. Layla all but ran out the door, leaving Seti standing in his general's room, equal parts mortified, horrified, and confused.

* * *

 **AMERICA, I'M BACK!**

 **Sorry, I just had to get that out of my system.**

 **This chapter was mostly comedy, since things in this story had been so serious lately, but never fear (Underdog is here) this chapter did have actual relevance to the plot.**

 **Ramses is an _asshole_ , but we can all forgive him, since he's so sexy. Kiran will, too...trust me.**

 **Oh, and in case you were wondering, the reason Kiran wasn't in that last scene is because I want to save her reaction for when there is an _actual_ relationship between the two, but Ramses was fair game (and hilarious to write).**

 **Please Review!**


	30. Chapter 29 Guilty

Chapter 29 Guilty

Harres sat in the room that Ramses had _oh so graciously_ lent him for his stay- or maybe the sarcasm wasn't even necessary with the fact that if it weren't for politics he would have been kicked out the second he entered Ramses' estate. And if that weren't the case when he entered, then it most definitely would have been when he threatened to take Kiran away...or wait, no- he probably would have been killed, if the look on Ramses' face was any indication.

It took a special kind of woman to charm a man like Ramses. As far as Harres knew, it had been done only once before. Who was it? Ah, yes, it was the concubine of Mursili. Harres had a good laugh about that when he found out. Serves Ramses right, to fall for a woman who not only didn't love him back, but who belonged to the enemy. But now...Ramses had Kiran.

Perhaps if Ramses had fallen for some stupid, vain woman then Harres would have let it go. Unfortunately for Ramses, he fell for Kiran. Kiran who was undoubtedly as wild and untamed as a lioness, who reminded him in some ways of Nebet. If Kiran was truly anything like Nebet then Ramses didn't deserve her was what he remembered thinking. Now he _knew_ that Kiran was similar to the woman he loved and Harres wouldn't allow Ramses to have someone like that in his life, not after what Ramses took from him.

Harres seemed to be drifting off, because he didn't realize the person walking towards him until they bumped into him. Though, considering they _bumped into_ him, they most likely weren't paying attention either.

"God dammit!" A female voice shouted and Harres snapped out of his thoughts quickly enough to catch the person before they fell to the ground. Harres easily caught sight of gold hair and blue eyes and he had no doubt of who he had ran into, Kiran. Kiran looked up at him before quickly getting out of his arms and standing a couple feet away. "Ah, lord Harres." Harres narrowed his eyes at her quick change of demeanor. "Excuse my-"

"Please, do drop the act. It's almost sad to see someone like you act so polite and demure." Harres practically commanded. Kiran seemed happy to oblige, and not at all offended, but he supposed that was to be expected considering who Kiran was.

"Fine. So then, does that mean I can talk freely now?" Kiran questioned with a smirk.

"If I said 'no' would you listen?" Harres questioned back and Kiran's brow twitched and her face held some kind of emotion Harres could not discern.

"I find it odd," Kiran mused and Harres quirked a brow. "how you and Ramses can seem so alike-" Harres' face darkened. "and hate each other's guts."

"Is that so? Say, did Ramses ever tell you _why_ I hate him?" Harres asked and Kiran's gaze turned curious.

"...No. Am I going to like what I hear?" Kiran questioned cautiously.

"Probably not, but you'll listen anyway. You have that type of curiosity." Harres stated and Kiran smirked.

"So, what is this great reason?" Kiran drawled.

"He killed my brother." Harres said, he watched as Kiran froze, her face stricken with disbelief. That was the reaction he wanted, he wanted the disbelief, to finally break her stupid trust in Ramses.

"Oh, so you feel guilty." Kiran said as her face shifted to being blank. "You feel that you should have been the one to save your brother from the way he ended up, before Ramses had to kill him for it." Harres felt a jolt of shock go through his body as her words.

"You- I never told you that." Harres spoke, trying to keep the confused anger out of his voice.

It all made sense now. Kiran had bumped into him on purpose, showed him that annoying act on purpose, played up the act of not knowing after leading Harres into telling her the reason for His and Ramses' grudge.

"Some other time, you can curse my name for tricking you, but for now, shut up and listen." Kiran's tone was commanding and Harres almost felt he _needed_ to listen to what she was about to say. "You torture Ramses mentally and emotionally. Now, I get that he's a prick sometimes, and is in a state of perpetual arrogant jerkiness, but don't take your guilt out on him. In this case, you're hurting yourself more than you're hurting Ramses. You need to accept the fact that you feel guilty for what happened, and then you need to realize that it's not your fault; but before all of that you need to stop projecting it all onto Ramses, it isn't helping anyone, least of all you." Kiran spoke calmly as she looked Harres straight in the eye.

"Anything else?" Harres questioned.

"Yes." Kiran gave Harres a cold glare. "Stop playing your mind tricks on Ramses. I'm completely loyal to him, and if you do anything else to cause him trouble…" Kiran walked closer to Harres until she was only a foot away. "I won't hesitate in killing you." Then Kiran walked past Harres and on down the hallway. "After all, the second time is always easier."

Harres turned and watched as Kiran walked away, before laughing in a way that he really wished was bitter, but somehow all that was reflected in the laugh was warm amusement. Ramses had really picked a good one this time.

* * *

Kiran knew that it might have been a bit cruel to act like she didn't know anything and then scold Harres so bluntly, but it needed to be said, not only for Ramses' sake, but for Harres' too. That being said, Kiran was serious when she said she would kill Harres, maybe not just for troubling Ramses, but if he ever hurt Ramses again, Kiran would kill him without hesitation.

"Kiran?" Ramses voice sounded, but Kiran ignored him, still a bit angry about the stunt he pulled. "Kiran." Ramses voice sounded more firm this time, but Kiran just continued walking. A hand grabbed her wrist and Kiran stopped and looked back at Ramses angrily.

"What do you want?" Kiran bit out, suddenly Ramses face was unreadable.

"Are you really that upset?" Ramses questioned and Kiran felt incredulity spread through her mind. Why wouldn't she be mad? "The scorpion wasn't poisonous."

Kiran's face turned blank for a second before she grabbed her fingers and pried them off while simultaneously stomping on Ramses foot as hard as she could. Ramses winced while Kiran stepped back away from him. Ramses questioning eyes met Kiran's angered ones.

" _That's_ what you thought I was talking about?" Kiran raised her voice in shocked annoyance.

"It's not?" Ramses questioned monotonously.

"Of course it's not!" Kiran clenched her fists as she took a deep breath. "We've been bugging the heck out of each other for months, Ramses. If I've managed to not ignore you for any of your other pranks, what makes you think I would now?"

"You ignored me once." Ramses stated and Kiran gave him a flat look.

"And what situation occurred lately that was similar to that one?" Kiran questioned Ramses.

"You're still mad about that?" Ramses questioned as he finally understood what she was talking about.

"I have every right to be mad about that!" Kiran shouted. "Don't try to charm me if it's just a game, don't try to flirt with me if it doesn't mean anything, don't-" Kiran's voice wavered. "Don't ask me such serious questions while doing it."

"What questions? 'Will you miss anything? Is there any reason you'd stay?'" Ramses questioned with an edge of ice to his words.

"Yes!" Kiran shouted. "You already know the answers, you already knew before you asked me the first time!"

"I wanted to know for sure!" Ramses finally shouted back and Kiran was stunned for a short moment before she spoke again.

"Why?!" Kiran shouted back as she stepped closer to Ramses.

"Why do you think?!" Ramses also stepped closer. Kiran tried to slam her firsts into Ramses chest, but Ramses caught them.

"Let me go." Kiran said sternly as she looked up into Ramses' dual-colored orbs.

"Why. Do. You. Think?" Ramses repeated slowly as he looked down at her blue orbs.

"I don't know!" Kiran shouted at him and Ramses looked furious.

Before Kiran knew it, Ramses mouth was on hers. Kiran's mind went blank the second his lips connected. What were they arguing about again? Why didn't she ever let him kiss her before?

Kiran leaned into Ramses as he kissed her, letting her eyes close shut. Kiran had never been kissed before, she never really wanted to be. So, she really was at a loss for what to do at that moment. Ramses seemed to take control of the kiss, but Kiran- inexperienced or not- wouldn't be having any of that. Kiran put her palms flat against Ramses chest, even as his hands still gripped her wrists, and kissed him back.

Ramses let his hands go from gripping her wrists to circle around her waist. A small moan escaped Kiran's lips and Ramses took the opportunity to slide his tongue inside her mouth. Kiran so wanted to lose herself, but that was at least enough for the realization of what was really happening to dawn on her and Kiran used her free hands to push Ramses away.

"Ramses." Kiran rasped as he looked down at her from the few inches space between them. Kiran looked Ramses in the eyes. "I- I can't. Ramses, I can't." Ramses face turned unreadable, but Kiran _wanted_ to read it. She _wanted_ to know what he was thinking. She couldn't just accept that she couldn't read him right now, because she _wanted_ to.

Ramses released her waist and gave her one last unreadable look before turning away from her and walking away. Kiran wanted to run after him, but her pride wouldn't let her. Even the thought of her running after someone just sounded pathetic to her, it made her stomach feel like someone had dropped a hot rock into it. Kiran felt tears pool in her eyes as she bit her lip. She _wanted_ to run after him, but what did that mean?

"Ramses!" Kiran shouted, even as she wouldn't allow herself to move. "Ramses!" He ignored her as he walked out of sight. "Ram-" Kiran choked on her unshed tears as she clutched at her chest. She hated this feeling, she hated this-

' _Who's feeling guilty now?'_

* * *

 **Hey, I'm back with another chapter. Sorry it took so long, I'm moving into my new house.**

 **So, they finally kissed, sorry it wasn't gloriously romantic, but this just felt more realistic. Also, sorry for all the angst, the next chapter will be lighter.**

 **Now, anyone want to see more Layla X Seti?**

 **Please Review!**


	31. Chapter 30 Drunken Fun

**Happy one year anniversary! Didn't think I would forget, did you? So, here's a gift for all of my loyal followers.**

* * *

Chapter 30 Drunken Fun

"This is why I didn't want to get too close." Kiran said, her eyes still lightly rimmed with red, even as the sun was setting on the day.

She supposed that it looked like the scene of a sleepover. Kiran, Layla, and even Nebet, were all gathered in her room- there was plenty of space- and sitting propped up against pillows on the floor. A pitcher of wine was between them, and as Kiran continued to speak, she had to seriously consider drinking some.

"Why?" Layla scoffed. "Because you got hurt? Everyone gets hurt, get used to it." Nebet slapped Layla's shoulder. "What? It's true." Layla looked back over to Kiran. "You killed the man who took my sister from me and gave me a place to stay, and I thank you for that. That being said, you don't seem to know a lot about how the world works. I bet you were brought up in a good family, with plenty to eat and lots of free time."

Kiran wanted to protest, but she couldn't. Whether or not her parents had left her when she was young, and whether or not her aunt had been cruel, the things Layla said were true. Kiran suspected that her life where she came from would be like being a princess here. She was educated, fed and clothed, enjoyed- not really- fancy parties, and was supposed to be engaged to another wealthy person and/or rule a small kingdom. If she said any of this to Layla- well, Layla would just say, 'exactly my point'.

"Your right." Kiran said. She was thinking about how hurt she was, when that shouldn't have been in her reasoning at all. Kiran wasn't getting close because she had obligations. "I should just get used to it." Leaving was going to hurt, Kiran could see that now. "My life was pretty much exactly what you said, too. Actually, I'd say the most reality I've gotten has been in these past five months."

"Even then, you've been under the illustrious General Ramses' care." Layla snarked and Nebet hit her again. "Ow! Okay. Realistically, you nearly got raped and had to kill a man, sat through a trial where half of the people wanted you killed, and are having to decide between following your heart or your head."

"Not my heart-"

"You like Ramses, frickin' accept it already." Layla raised her hand, cutting Kiran off. "My point is-" Layla took a breath like she was doing the most difficult thing she had ever done. "you've been through more than most people." Then Layla mumbled, "Despite your rich upbringing." Nebet hit Layla again. "Ow, will you stop?"

"You can stop that Nebet." Kiran said and Nebet inclined her head.

"Why didn't you tell her to do that earlier?" Layla questioned as she rubbed her shoulder.

"Because if I was going to have to listen to you mock me without drinking, then I needed something to make me feel better." Kiran smirked.

"That aside," Layla grumbled. "why not have a drink?" Layla picked up the pitcher and waved it in front of Kiran temptingly.

"You're fifteen and you've drank alcohol?" Kiran questioned and both Nebet and Layla blinked.

"You're seventeen and you haven't?" Nebet questioned and Kiran shook her head.

"I don't understand you anymore." Layla shook her head as she poured three glasses of wine.

"I don't-" Kiran tried to protest, but Layla shoved the cup in her face.

"Drink or I will have a talk with Ramses." Layla threatened and Kiran raised a brow.

"What kind of talk?" Kiran questioned as she cautiously took the cup from Layla and looked at the magenta liquid and grimaced.

"Who knows?" Layla said vaguely. Kiran sighed and looked down at her cup.

"C'est la vie." Kiran mumbled so that neither Layla nor Nebet could hear and gulped down the liquid.

The bitter liquid burned Kiran's throat lightly as it went down, though she couldn't deny it had a certain taste to it that she liked. Warmth pooled in Kiran's stomach before spreading through her body. Kiran shivered at the change of her body temperature. Layla and Nebet looked at her expectantly.

"Oh, alright." Kiran conceded. "Give me another shot." At Layla and Nebet's blank look Kiran sighed. "Pour me another cup." Nebet smiled and Layla grinned triumphantly.

As the wine went down her throat again, she thought she vaguely heard her conscience saying something like, **'You're making a very bad decision.'** But, that was quickly drowned out by the alcohol.

* * *

Ramses was sulking. Seti could tell, as much as his General would try to deny it if asked. He was definitely, undeniably sulking. For once in a great while, Seti had no clue as to why.

That isn't to say, though, that he couldn't guess. After all, he had only seen Ramses sulk a few times before. The first was about five years ago at the peace treaty between Egypt and Hittite was signed. Not only had Ramses had to deal with the sting of defeat, but from the same man who his love was in love with. The only other times were all involving Kiran.

On that note, Seti was fairly certain that this mood had something- or everything- to do with the gold-haired supposed goddess. Even if that was the case though, it had to have been extreme if Ramses was actually _sulking_. The only other times Kiran had driven him to that were when she was ignoring him and when he thought she would leave to stay with Harres.

Oh. They must have discussed Kiran's leaving in a little more than three months' time. Seti glanced back at Ramses. Yep, that would have done it. He wondered if Ramses had said anything about his feelings. If that was the case, then Kiran probably rejected him on top of saying she _would_ be leaving to go back to her country. He wasn't quite sure of that, though, Ramses probably didn't actually _say_ he had feelings for Kiran, so much as he would have _showed_ he had feelings for her. Seti sighed. While he knew his general, Kiran was still a bit of an enigma to to him, so he didn't know how to go about fixing the situation.

He could ask Layla. Seti squeezed his temples and gritted his teeth as he remembered exactly why he _couldn't_ ask Layla. The both of them had been avoiding each other since that...incident two weeks ago. Whenever they happened to pass in the halls he would avoid her eyes and Layla would start conversing with Kiran about some random topic. It wasn't that Seti didn't want to talk to Layla- or maybe he did...?- so much as that he had no idea how to approach the situation- or maybe not. He really wasn't sure, Seti had never really cared for women much before. Sure, he had kept company with some, but he didn't actually _care_. He cared about Layla, but in which way?

Seti continued his mental rambling as he walked out of the room, not noticing he made it all the way to the middle of the estate until he tripped- actually tripped, he _never_ tripped. Seti looked to see what he tripped over, only to see...Layla.

"Shit."

* * *

"Ramseees!" A voice slurred as they shouted happily.

Ramses looked up to see who it was, only to see Kiran standing little more than ten feet away as she clutched the doorway, swaying even as she did that. Her face was flushed and her clothes were disheveled. Her smile was somewhere between ecstatic, lazy, and tired.

Ramses was no idiot, it was obvious what was happening. Kiran was drunk. Ramses smirked in amusement, all previous traces of his bad mood gone. Damn, he hated- loved- how she could so easily do that to him.

Kiran stumble-ran into the room and practically jumped on Ramses. He caught her in his arms and steadied himself as she- almost- knocked him off balance.

"Raamseees," Kiran slurred as she looked up with Ramses with big blue eyes, slightly glazed over from the alcohol. "I-I'm sho sowwy." Kiran slurred again before hiccuping and giggling. Ramses raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Oh, what for?" Ramses questioned as Kiran snuggled her face against his chest.

"Bed." Kiran spoke with a childish pout to her voice.

"What?" Ramses questioned, not sure if he heard her right. Kiran looked up at him again with her glazed blue eyes.

"Thish ish uncom- comfertable." Kiran stated with a pout on her face. "Lesh go to bed." Kiran stated and Ramses looked at her exasperatedly.

It really shouldn't have been so attractive to him that Kiran was reduced to a pouting child when drunk- it really, really shouldn't have.

Ramses sighed as he picked Kiran up bridal style, said girl throwing her arms up in the air with the same held earlier.

* * *

Nebet stared at the door where both of her drunk companions had left through before looking back at the pitcher of wine.

"Maybe letting them have so much wasn't such a good idea after all…?"

* * *

Seti noticed right away that her face was flushed and her eyes were dazed. Layla looked up at him from where she was- inadvertently- pinned underneath. Layla looked up at him with a lazy grin and a dazedly mischievous look in her eyes.

"Are you trying to take advantage of me?" Layla questioned with a grin and Seti scrambled- actually scrambled- off her. "Quit being such a *hic* stick in sha mud." Layla half-slurred and snorted at him.

"You are a fairly articulate drunk." Seti commented, still a bit off-kilter from her previous actions. Layla got up from her laying position and crawled onto her knees before tackling Seti and pressing her face to hi neck.

"You were avoiding me!" Layla whined. "That was mean of shu, Set-ti."

"Wha-?" Seti began to say, but was cut off when Layla rose her head to stare intently at him.

"You're the only man I've met with the balls to end up in bed with me and then avoid me." Layla stated seriously with an offended look and Seti pressed his hand to his temple as his face heated up.

"That was an accident!" Seti protested, but Layla didn't hear him as she was already asleep. Seti let out a sigh of relief. Then Layla mumbled in her sleep and Seti strained to hear.

"Mn~ comfy."

Seti snorted and looked down at the blonde girl in amusement before smiling softly and picking her up.

* * *

Ramses set Kiran down on her own bed and began to walk away, but Kiran reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"Stay." She commanded. Ramses looked back at her before sighing. What was this woman doing to him? Ramses crawled into the bed next to her as she snuggled into her chest.

"I love you." Kiran mumbled happily.

"Wha-?" But Kiran was already asleep.

* * *

 **The amount of- accidental- research that went into this chapter...next time I'm leaving the room before anyone gets drunk. Seriously, never again.**

 **In case you're wondering; Kiran loves Ramses, but won't admit it, even to herself. The thing is, Kiran is a very honest drunk, so...yeah.**

 **Hope you liked Layla and Seti in this chapter.**

 **Review?**


	32. Chapter 31 Hangovers Suck

**Disclaimer: I do not own Red River**

* * *

Chapter 31 Hangovers Suck

Layla winced as she tried to open her eyes, settling on squinting instead of the pain that went along with opening them fully. What happened again? Oh, yeah. Wine happened. Last she remembered, she wasn't all that drunk though. She, Kiran, and Nebet had all been just talking and then they pulled out wine (she was genuinely surprised that Kiran hadn't ever drank before). After that, she was drawing a blank.

Layla winced again as she sat up, fully intent on waking Kiran up and figuring out what happened- hopefully at least _she_ knew. Layla was stuck to the wall the entire way to Kiran's room, how much wine did she drink again? It was more than a couple cups, that was for sure. When she got to Kiran's room...it was a _sobering_ experience.

Ramses and Kiran were both in bed...together...looking entirely disheveled. Leyla let her inner girly side overtake her and let out a happy squeal. Ramses woke up annoyed and Kiran woke up groaning in pain from the blow to her ear drums with the sound amplifying powers of alcohol. Layla didn't even rush to leave at Ramses' and Kiran's combined glares.

"Finally!" Layla shouted joyously. "To think after all of the effort I put into this, all it took was a few cups of wine!" Layla literally _jumped_ for joy and Kiran squinted at her in confusion- and probably a bit because of the hangover.

"What are you-?" Kiran practically choked when she realized what Layla was talking about. Ramses was right next to her. They-THEY WERE IN BED TOGETHER! Kiran turned to Ramses and looked at him with a mortified expression, completely forgetting about Layla- she didn't really seem to mind though, taking the opportunity to sneak out of the room with a grin.

"Stop looking so horrified. You're the one the one who wanted to 'go to bed'." Ramses smirked at her and Kiran gaped and turned red. "You are a very inarticulate drunk." Kiran opened her mouth to reply, before closing it and opening it a few more times...she really didn't have a comeback. "It took me nine months to make you speechless, is my charm wavering?" Ramses smirked at her in a way that she knew it was a joke and Kiran scoffed at him.

"You say that like you had any to begin with." Kiran smirked back at him, ignoring the pounding in the back of her head and the still receding blush on her cheeks.

"You say that, but you were the one so eager for me to get in bed with you." Ramses spoke lowly. The receding blush on Kiran's face came back twice as bad.

"Y-you can't use things that I can't even remember against me!" Kiran squeaked and Ramses' smirk fell. Kiran noticed immediately, furrowing her brows at his sudden change in attitude. "Ramses?"

"You should probably stay away from wine." Ramses spoke stoically and he got up from her bed and walked out. "I'll send someone in with some water." Kiran stared blankly at the door for a moment before speaking.

"The hell...just happened?"

* * *

The girly joy had faded and the hangover was back. Layla was once again miserable and- due to Ramses being there- had gotten no further to learning what happened when she was drunk. That was actually what she was trying to do even now. After all, Nebet was also there, and likely not even drunk.

That was why she found herself walking to not Nebet's room, but Harres'. The truth is, she couldn't find Nebet in her room, so she figured that as Harres' servant that it was likely she would be tending to him. When she got to the room she realized her thoughts were only too true, but in a much less innocent sense.

Yet another sobering sight greeted her and Layla was now thinking she may have to get into the habit of knocking. At least Kiran and Ramses were clothed, because Nebet and Harres _certainly_ weren't. The only thing that saved her eyes were the sheets, and even then, they were awake and...at it.

Of course, they both noticed her presence pretty quickly. Harres just looked at her coldly while Nebet buried her face in her hands. Layla, though a bit shocked, hurriedly went to remove herself from the situation.

"Um...sorry for interrupting, bye!" Then she closed the door as quickly as she could.

"Well…" Harres spoke after a while. "That effectively ruined the mood."

"Yeah." Nebet sighed. "That happens when a child walks in on you having sex." While her words said sarcastic, her tone said she was completely serious. Harres gave her a look that was as close to a pout as he would ever give before kissing her neck and nipping at it lightly, Nebet repressed a moan.

"Are you *kiss* Sure *nip* I can't convince you otherwise?" Harres questioned as he continued to service her neck.

"Harres…" Nebet sounded like she was going to protest before she gave a pleasurable sigh. "You know I can't refuse you."

* * *

Layla sighed as she walked down the hall for the third time that day. Even as her hangover was fading, she was still no closer to finding out what had happened when she was drunk. She was close to just letting it be when a thought struck her. How did she get in her bed?

She had been in Kiran's room when she got drunk, and that was a fair distance from her own- which was strange, because it shouldn't have been since she was Kiran's servant, but her room was a normal one and she had a sneaking suspicion that Kiran had something to do with that. She seriously doubted that she could have gotten herself to her bed- she had experience with being drunk and she never ended up in _her_ bed.

So, someone must have brought her there. The question was...who? She actually pretty certain that Kiran _could_ physically carry her, but considering how drunk Kiran must have been to end up in bed with Ramses, she doubted Kiran was able then. She doubted Ramses would touch her with a ten foot pole- unless Kiran asked him to. Harres and Nebet were *cough* occupied with each other. That left...Seti.

Layla completely stopped walking in the middle of the hall at that realization. Seti...she was drunk, so there was no telling what she said...or did? Crap, for once in her life Layla was seriously regretting getting drunk.

"Uh...Layla?" A voice that sounded suspiciously like Seti spoke and Layla's head whipped up so fast that she winced, feeling the lasting effects of her really bad choice.

"Um…" Layla wasn't sure why she spoke, because she literally had zero thoughts in her head at that moment. Then the thoughts of what she had been trying to figure out _all_ day rushed back in and Layla wouldn't let anything make her give up when her answers were literally _right_ in front of her. Layla straightened and her unsure attitude faded away into determination. "Did I say anything to you when I was drunk?" It was silent between them for a while before Seti finally spoke with an unreadable expression.

"No, not at all." Seti answered and Layla let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding before smiling at Seti and walking past him, giving his shoulder a pat as she did.

"Thanks." Layla said as she walked off, Seti turning his head to watch her go before letting his calm facade drop and grimacing. Then he covered his face with his hand. Why, oh why did he feel the need to lie to her?

Seti spared Layla one more glance before walking off, though he was entirely certain that she would be occupying his thoughts all day whether he wanted her to or not.

* * *

 **I feel bad for Layla, having to walk in on Harres and Nebet going at it under the sheets. FYI, that is as far as I am willing to press the T rating in a scene...I think.**

 **Kiran can't remember her drunk confession...you all knew that was going to happen. What's funny is that technically Kiran was still the first to confess.**

 **Anyway, anything in particular you're looking forward to? A legitimate confession? Them having sex? Nebet accepting Harres' feelings? Seti and Layla getting together? Nefert coming to visit? Finding out what secrets Ramses is trying to hide? ...Me actually finishing this fic?**

 **Please review!**


	33. Chapter 32 A Date?

Chapter 32 A Date?

Ramses wasn't sure if he actually _expected_ her to remember, or if he just _hoped_ it. She was drunk, did he even expect that she meant it? People said things they didn't mean all the time when they were drunk. Then again, lots of people also said things they were _afraid_ to say when they were drunk. Which was it, then?

Ramses felt like he was having a mental breakdown.

"Ramses." A cold voice spoke, almost a bit of a strain in it, like he didn't _really_ want to speak to Ramses. Ramses turned to face Harres, who also _looked_ like he didn't want to be speaking to Ramses.

"Harres." Ramses replied, equally cold.

It was silent for a moment, because Harres obviously wanted to speak and Ramses wasn't going to make it easy for him, especially considering what Harres said the last time they spoke. That had led to him realizing how he felt about Kiran, which was enough of a reason to not want Harres to open his mouth. Though, after a cold stare off, Harres did speak, making Ramses consider what could possibly be important enough for him to act civil.

"Your...Kiran, spoke to me and made me realize something." Harres started off and Ramses was growing weary, because Harres speaking about Kiran hadn't ended well for him the other two times it had happened, and he was doubtful this would turn out any different. Unfortunately, Ramses also couldn't seem to _not_ listen, when Kiran's name came up. So, he was forced to listen, staring at Harres with contempt. "I owe her for that."

Ramses blinked, as much of an expression of surprise as he would ever allow. Harres owed Kiran? What had that damned woman said to make _Harres_ so grateful he would speak with _him_? It seemed that while Kiran was an annoying, reckless woman, she was also a miracle worker- that, or the goddess people claimed her to be (but Ramses would never believe that).

"Then why-" Ramses spoke with skepticism. "Are you speaking with _me_?"

"You are pursuing Kiran, aren't you?" Harres raised a brow. Ramses cold stare sharpened into a glare.

"Why?" Ramses questioned shortly.

"You have no idea how to court a woman, Ramses." Harres spoke bluntly.

"What is this about, Harres?" Ramses bit out, steadily getting more and more irritated.

"You know how to seduce a woman," Harres stated firmly. "but not how to _court_ a woman. Kiran isn't a woman you can just _seduce_ , Ramses."

"How would you know?" Ramses glared at Harres with all the annoyance that had been building up through their conversation.

"Because I have a very recent history with fierce women," Harres said slowly, a small smile playing on his lips before it quickly disappeared. He was talking about Nebet, of course, but if Ramses knew then he didn't say it. "and she couldn't be seduced either." Harres' smile was back again, and he didn't even seem to care that Ramses could see it. "She may not be completely mine, even if I am completely hers, but she would never leave me." Harres finished speaking. His smile twitched away as if he was having to force it down with the memories of Nebet still fresh in his mind, turning his attention back to Ramses.

"How did you do it?" Ramses spoke after a moment of silence. Harres broke into a grin and laughed.

"I bought her a horse." Harres stopped his laughing and closed his eyes, giving a fond sigh. "I tried seducing her, first, of course. Then I tried material; jewels, clothes, money. All she wanted...was that damned horse. It was one of the spoils of war, not even a horse I had to pay for. Stubborn, fierce beast of a horse." Harres laughed once again before snapping out of it, realizing Ramses was there.

"You're telling me to buy her a horse." Ramses drawled. Harres rubbed his temples.

"No, Ramses. I'm _telling you_ to find out what she _likes_." Harres sighed and walked away.

Ramses stared after him while letting his words sink in.

"What she likes." He mumbled before sighing. He had no idea.

* * *

Kiran was walking down one of the many halls in Ramses'- not main, apparently- estate, when she saw Layla peeking around a corner in a very suspicious manner. Kiran raised a brow at the blonde girl's behavior, even though it was so like Layla to eavesdrop.

"What are you doing?" Kiran drawled, pleased when the younger girl spun around with a surprised look on her face.

"Kiran!" Layla yelped as she shuffled awkwardly. "I, uh, nothing really." Layla was so cute, really. She acted so tough, but it was so easy to embarrass her.

"Uh, huh." Kiran spoke unconvincingly. Cuteness aside, Layla was definitely hiding something. Kiran tried to walk around the corner, only to be blocked by Layla. Kiran raised a brow at her again.

"So, uh-" Layla fumbled with her words. "What do you like?" Layla blurted, but any embarrassment that Kiran had expected from the outburst was absent from her features.

"What?" Kiran questioned, taken aback.

"You know, what kind of things do you like? You don't really talk a whole lot about that stuff to me- or to anyone, for that matter." Layla clarified.

"What I...like?" Kiran reaffirmed, Layla nodded. "Um...I don't know." Kiran didn't really think about it all too often and- put on the spot like that- nothing really came to mind.

"Favorite color?" Layla inquired eagerly.

"...Blue." Kiran answered hesitantly.

"Favorite food?" Layla asked.

"Nothing you have in this time period." Kiran mumbled and luckily, Layla didn't hear.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Okay…" Layla trailed off for a moment before the onslaught of questions continued. "Favorite drink?"

"Not wine." Kiran said with a small bit of venom in her voice, causing Layla to chuckle nervously and mumble something that was either 'sorry' or 'funny'.

"Favorite animal?" Layla questioned and Kiran froze for a moment before letting out an involuntary warm smile.

"Cats, I like cats." Kiran answered and Layla blinked.

"Cats…" Layla trailed off before chuckling a bit and beginning to walk away, throwing a quick 'bye' over her shoulder. "Rumored goddess of Bastet likes cats." Layla laughed to herself.

* * *

"Hey Seti. Seti! Seeettiiii-!"

Seti sighed. He almost missed when Layla was too nervous to talk to him because of what happened when they ended up in bed together- completely on accident- and when she got drunk and was worried something happened- which something kind of _did_. Unfortunately, he just _had_ to go and tell her that nothing happened, and now she was back to normal...joy. Seti sighed once again in resignation before turning to face Layla.

"What?" Seti kept his voice blank and his tone clipped.

"I need you to relay a message to Ramses for me." Layla grinned at him and Seti watched the feral curve of her lips warily as they stretched into the toothy smile he had learned to be cautious of.

"...Why don't you just tell him yourself?" Seti questioned and Layla blinked at him, not replying. "What?" Seti questioned blankly, just a sliver of his annoyance seeping into his tone, he mentally admonished himself for that slip up.

"That has to be the longest sentence I've ever heard you speak." Layla spoke in mild disbelief.

"Shut up." Seti grumbled and, to his mortification, felt his face warm a bit. "What did you need me to tell him?"

"Oh." Layla seemingly didn't notice Seti's mortification or his blush. Well, that, or she just decided whatever news she needed to tell Ramses was more important at the moment. "You see-"

* * *

"What? Like a date?" Kiran asked in surprise, curled up with her knees to her chest her- now slackened- grip on a scroll she was reading, placed out in front of her.

Ramses had essentially asked her on a date- or at least, that was what she assumed he was asking. He told her that there was a place he wanted to show her that he thought she would find interesting. Knowing that Ramses meaning of interesting meant fascinating and 'a place he wanted to show her' meant to give them some time alone, she felt fairly safe in her assumption. Part of her wanted to pretend she had absolutely no idea what he was insinuating, the part of her that knew she couldn't get too attached, but the other part...that was the part that asked for clarification, the part that wanted to take the chance, consequences be damned.

"Date?" Ramses questioned and Kiran mentally rolled her eyes. Of course he wouldn't know that term.

"Are you trying to court me, Ramses?" Kiran asked in a tone that tried very hard to be mocking, but failed and ended up being a- hopeful?- curiosity.

"Yes." Ramses confirmed. It was the only word needed, and it effortlessly sent Kiran's heart into a frenzy. Don't get the wrong idea, it was mostly shock and indecision.

' _Maybe,'_ Kiran allowed herself the mental admittance. _'It's a little bit of happiness.'_

Kiran's conscience stayed silence, and that was how she knew she was right.

"Alright."

Kiran had no idea if she would regret that one, short, two syllable word, but at the moment...she couldn't bring herself to care.

* * *

"Gone?" Layla asked for confirmation. Seti had just informed her that Ramses had left before he could relay her message...with Kiran. "Huh. To think that he would _actually_ take the initiative to court Kiran."

"Did you not expect him to?"

"Did _you_?"

"..."

"That's what I thought."

* * *

 **Extra- The Bet (Ramses Pov)**

"Care to bet on that?"

Kiran was so easily bated. Always, again and again, she fell for challenges far too easily.

Ramses knew that Kiran wasn't an idiot, he had learned _that_ long ago. No, Kiran was no idiot. The reason she was so easily baited wasn't idiocy, nor was it stubbornness- which she actually _did_ possess. No, it was immaturity.

Kiran could put up the act of maturity all she wanted, but that was all it was, an _act_.

Was Kiran smart? Certainly. Beautiful? As annoying as her personality was, her good looks still couldn't be denied. Charismatic? In her own right.

Not mature, though. That was why Ramses had never looked to Kiran as a person who could be a leader. Quality upon quality lined up perfectly with leadership ability, but with the level of maturity she held, all of those other qualities were undermined.

"Alright. I bet that you cannot act like a proper servant for this entire trip."

He didn't _bet_ , a bet implied a _gamble_. This was no gamble, Ramses' victory was assured. He knew for a _fact_ that Kiran couldn't win.

"Deal."

 _It was a fact._

* * *

"W-WH-WHAT?! HELL NO!"

Ramses was right. Even if Kiran lasted longer than he expected her to, it was all part of her maturity _act_ , and acts always dropped in the end. Kiran's immaturity cost her the bet, as he knew it would.

"What are you planning on making me do, anyway?"

Ramses had no idea. Perhaps it was because he didn't _really_ care for _what_ they bet, so much as the bet itself. All Ramses wanted was to see if he could bait Kiran, and to see how effective her acting was.

"I'll think of something."

Still, he wasn't one to waste an opportunity.

Perhaps it was that flaw, the immaturity that made her unable to be the queen Ramses was constantly looking for, that made Ramses look at her as a _woman_ instead of a _queen_ , instead of an _asset_.

That was how she differed from Yuri, he supposed. His love for her was something built on greed and admiration, he had skipped thinking of Yuri as a woman and instead only thought of her as a _queen_ , and by the time he realized his mistake, it was too late to correct it.

Not Kiran. No, their relationship was built upon a steadily growing respect and mutual annoyance. Their relationship wasn't made of steady rock, but the ever changing sands of the desert and the ever flowing Nile. Ramses didn't make a mistake in this case, but it didn't mean that it was impossible for him to be too late- too late to keep her from leaving.

When Ramses called Kiran an annoying woman in the beginning, he wasn't sure why he didn't say annoying _girl_ , it fit her immaturity much better. When Ramses began calling her Kiran- when he wasn't trying to antagonize her- he wasn't sure why he dropped- mostly- the nickname, she was still just as annoying. When Kiran matured- her personality finally making her seem more like someone who could lead, to the queen Ramses so desperately wanted to possess- he wasn't sure why he still cared more for her as a woman- annoying or not- and as Kiran than he did as a queen.

 _The answer to_ that _came much later._

* * *

 **I felt that the clarification was needed. Kiran wasn't** _ **really**_ **leadership material needed in the beginning. What Seti sensed from her was** _ **potential**_ **to be a leader. Ramses, however, didn't acknowledge that, or at least refused to until she had more than** _ **just**_ **potential.**

 **My friend and another reviewer pointed out to me that Kiran wasn't quite the perfect example of a leader. Her immaturity being her most obvious set back, so I decided to put the clarification here.**

 **To Himeno Kazehito, Song of the Lark, mika1617, Sammiec, 123sc, Frashix, , PolarChic, Gi-gi, EldaShirakiin, Mel, flolia, Blue-Pheonix311, jafcbutterfly, Black Orchid, and one unidentified guest:**

 **Thanks for all of the reviews you guys, you're what keeps me writing!**

 **Anyone care to guess where it is exactly that Ramses wants to bring Kiran?**


	34. Chapter 33 Promises and Fixed

Chapter 33 Broken Promises and Fixed Relationships

"My own horse this time, then?" Kiran spoke with mirth, her eyes crinkling as she desperately tried to hide the twitch of her lips.

Ramses looked down at her from his position on his own horse, already having gotten up, with an amused expression. It was probably because of how badly Kiran was hiding her happiness. Kiran admitted to herself that she really couldn't _not_ smile in that moment...as much as she would have liked to.

"We aren't trying to be discreet." Ramses pointed out and Kiran rolled her eyes as she pulled herself up onto her own horse, sitting the regular way- thank goodness for that.

"You know that you only had me ride with you to annoy me." Kiran pointed out. Although, it wasn't as if she didn't appreciate it in a sense.

' _No! Stop it, stop that train of thought RIGHT NOW!'_

' _ **You are a pathetic excuse for a girl.'**_

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Ramses said, jokingly oblivious.

"Of course not." Kiran played along.

Kiran and Ramses urged their horses forward. Kiran almost passed Ramses before realizing that she didn't know where they were going, Kiran pulled back on the reins a bit until her and Ramses were side by side again.

"Lead the way." Kiran spoke. Ramses could feel the double meaning in that short sentence, Kiran could tell he did by the look in his eyes as he glanced at her.

" _I trust you, Ramses, and I trust that I can follow you without regrets."_

"I always lead." Ramses replied. Kiran could feel the hidden meaning in his words, and Ramses knew she caught it.

" _I wouldn't even consider leading you astray."_

"Mm, I'll have to test that theory sometime."

* * *

"Ramses, you are literally just leading us out into the middle of the desert." Kiran deadpanned as their horses trotted on.

"What happened to, 'Lead the way'?" Ramses questioned mockingly, a smirk playing on his lips.

Kiran glanced back at him, a sliver of a smile filled with mirth on her own lips before turning ahead again and replying, "Nothing happened to it."

' _I'd follow you across the entire desert if it was you leading me.'_

It was an involuntary thought, but true, nonetheless. Kiran had been sucked into Ramses charisma as a leader. The difference between hers and others was that, despite the draw, she could still leave. But while she _was_ still by Ramses side, he could lead her anywhere. It was Ramses charm, and not the kind he ensnared women with, the kind that he used to encourage and gain the support of his soldiers.

"Here we are."

Kiran snapped out of her daze at Ramses' voice.

The sight she was greeted with was magnificent.

There, right in front of her, was a wonderful, desert _oasis_. Palm trees were sparsely scattered around the rich soil surrounding the gloriously clear blue body of water. Thin, small patches of grass were also present in the glorious display. It stood out even more surrounded by the many miles of desert around it.

Kiran had never actually seen an oasis before, she had significantly underestimated the true beauty that it held.

"Ramses, it's…"

Beautiful.

Magnificent.

Amazing.

' _ **Romantic.'**_

' _Yes, it is.'_

Kiran took a moment before she realized her thoughts and blushed. No. N.O. This wasn't _romantic_ , it wasn't even a date...right?

" _Are you trying to court me, Ramses?"_

" _Yes."_

" _Alright."_

Kiran froze, was she really doing this? Was there any going back if she did?

Her heart was pounding in her ears, she would like to think it was just indecision again, but was it really? The butterflies in her stomach and flush of heat over her cheeks would suggest otherwise. Kiran wasn't sure if she even _wanted_ it to be anything more than indecision, because, if it was...but-

"It's beautiful, Ramses." Kiran turned to Ramses with a warm smile, but her eyes wouldn't quite look into his. "Let's go."

Kiran turned her head to face forward again and began to ride her horse to the lovely oasis, but she could feel Ramses' eyes burning holes at the side of her head. She knew that he was displeased with her not looking him in the eye. After all, she had always done so before. Unfortunately, if Kiran was going to be this close to Ramses, than she would have to sacrifice her emotions, as new as they were. Otherwise, she would end up falling, and that would breed consequences she wasn't certain she would be able to deal with.

Ramses got to the oasis before she did, whether it was purposely or not, Kiran wasn't quite sure. By the time she caught up, Ramses had already got off and tied up his horse. Kiran gave him a hard stare and Ramses met it with an indifferent one, before raising a brow. Kiran twitched and looked away.

' _I almost forgot that I'm trying to distance myself.'_

Ramses was far too good and sucking her into his pace, _far_ too good.

Kiran definitely did _not_ shriek when she was lifted off her horse suddenly. Really, she _didn't_...not that _loudly_ at least.

"Were you planning on staying up there forever?" Ramses asked with mirth as he set her down in front of him. Kiran stared pointedly off to the side. She could have just looked forward, but her face was level with his chest.

"Heh." Kiran huffed out a laugh. "I guess you were the one to get off your high horse first this time."

Kiran could feel Ramses' puzzled stare, but she didn't dare spare it a glance. Then, she jumped a little when Ramses laughed. He actually laughed. It wasn't even a condescending laugh it was an honest to god _amused_ laugh. Kiran couldn't help turning to Ramses with her own look of puzzlement.

"What- what is it?" Kiran asked in shock. Why was he laughing, was it that funny?

"You are an amusing woman." Ramses still kept his hands securely on her his as she could feel him shaking with laughter.

Kiran blushed. Both at the compliment- and it _was_ a compliment, if Ramses fond tone was any implication- and his contact with her waist. Kiran was still blinking in confusion at Ramses though, who was _still laughing_. Kiran had never seen Ramses laugh like that before, and, god why did he look so handsome right then? Kiran felt her face grow increasingly redder as the moment of laughter passed on, Ramses grip on her waist not letting up.

"Is it really that funny?" Kiran questioned, honest confusion in her voice. Ramses finally cooled down in his laughing enough to look her in the eyes. Kiran wanted to look away, honestly, but she was caught up in those heterochromatic eyes, just like the first time they'd met.

That was five months ago, right? Kiran wasn't sure if she should consider it long for the sheer amount of time she'd been gone, or short for the amount of things that had managed to keep her distracted all that time.

Kiran snapped out of her thoughts when one of Ramses' hands moved from her waist to rest on her chin.

"What are you thinking about?" Ramses asked in his usual demanding tone that made her think he wasn't really _asking_. The question and Ramses hand no longer trapping her in gave Kiran the chance to shift her gaze away and move away.

"I never remember giving you permission to ask my thoughts, Ramses." Kiran spoke coldly, the little bit of self-loathing in her eyes- as the result of that unnecessary coldness- was thankfully not visible with her back turned to him. Kiran tied up her- or rather, Ramses'- horse.

Abruptly, Kiran felt Ramses hand grab her wrist and spin her around. He wrapped his other arm around her waist once she was facing him. It all happened so fast...too fast for Kiran to wipe to guilty look off her face when her wide eyes met Ramses' annoyed ones.

But, this was Kiran, so she quickly wiped the emotion off her face and stiffened in Ramses grip, Kiran forced herself to look away from Ramses' face, off to the desert, because if she looked at the oasis...the place Ramses had taken her to make her happy…

"Let go." Kiran commanded, Ramses grip tightened, not enough to hurt, but as if he was proving a point.

"Don't think I didn't miss that look on your face." Ramses stated and Kiran felt herself twitch involuntarily. "That guilty look." Ramses sighed. "It was the same one you had after I kissed you." Kiran's eyes snapped back over to Ramses' in a flash.

"Wha-? I-if you saw, then why didn't-!" Kiran sagged in Ramses grip, her eyes turning glassy as she tried to hold back tears that had sprung up in them.

' _Dammit, don't cry!'_

"W-why didn't you...turn back?" Kiran felt the words leave her mouth and found she really did want to know the answer. Not until that moment did she realize how much it had bothered her.

"I was angry." Ramses spoke softly. Kiran was surprised by the gentle tone of voice. He still gripped her just as tightly, Kiran wondered if it had any meaning or if he was just compensating for her now nearly limp posture.

"I-" Kiran looked into Ramses' surprisingly fond gaze. "I'm sorry, Ramses." The words came out unintentionally, but after Kiran realized what she said and went over it in her mind a few times, she was satisfied with it, despite the flush over her cheeks. Apologizing was embarrassing…

Kiran felt Ramses grip on her loosen and she quickly straightened back up.

"Your apology isn't necessary." Ramses dismissed and Kiran promptly turned her wrist around in his loose grip to grab his own wrist. Ramses' eyes widened a bit in surprise and Kiran gave him a hard stare.

"If it wasn't necessary I wouldn't have said it, you know how I hate unnecessary politeness, Ramses."

If anyone saw them right then, there would be no doubt in their minds that Kiran could stand level with Ramses.

"You broke the promise." Ramses smirked down at Kiran. Kiran look up at him in turn, confused. The moment was broken, just like that.

"Wha-?" Kiran blushed as she came to the realization of what he was talking about. "Oh, I guess I did."

Ramses was laughing again, and this time, Kiran laughed with him.

* * *

 **If you didn't understand the 'promise' reference, it's about when Kiran made Ramses promise they would never apologize to each other because it would take far too long to make up if they ever had an argument.**

 **Don't worry, the date isn't over yet. It's just that this chapter was getting too long. I have to break it up.**

 **There was some serious fluffy moments in this chapter.**

 **Review?**


	35. Chapter 34 Confessions to the Sunset

Chapter 34 Confessions to the Sunset

Things really cooled down after Kiran and Ramses worked through their issue. Now, they were both sitting along the grassy edge of the oasis as the sun began to set. Ramses was sitting with one of his legs stretched out, almost to the water's edge, and the other bent and tucked a bit closer. Kiran laid on her stomach beside him, facing the water, with her feet pointed upwards.

Kiran let the sunset over the oasis flood her senses. The golds and oranges, and pinks, reds, and soft purples. The way the sky turned to gold before it progressed into shade of red pink that Kiran was always pleasantly surprised looked nothing like the color of blood. The way the sun got darker and darker until it was nearly the shade of her own hair.

Sunsets were- in their very nature- tranquil. They signaled the end of a day and the time to relax for most. They made way for the much less harsh light of the moon to paint the world's surface a frosted white, a welcome relief from the harsh light of the unforgiving sun. The stars would begin to speckle the sky with the lightest shades of red, blue, yellow, and orange, while most would just appear white.

So, Kiran, by her nature as a wild and excitable woman, should have felt at odds with the event. On the contrary, Kiran loved sunsets.

She wasn't really sure why. There was just something about them, despite the tranquility, or maybe it _was_ the tranquility. After all, in the presence of a sunset, Kiran felt even more wild and powerful in contrast. Maybe it was a pride thing, then.

Whatever it was, Kiran felt most secure under that beautiful sunset. It made her feel as if there was nothing she couldn't face. Such security was also dangerous. That security combined with Ramses, who was one of the few people she trusted explicitly- not that she would tell him that outright- was even more dangerous.

"Ramses." Kiran spoke, finally, breaking the comfortable silence that seemed to have stretched on for hours, but was most likely only a singular hour. Still, it was a pretty significant amount of time for Kiran to keep quiet. Heck, it almost went against the laws of nature.

Kiran took Ramses silence as assurance that he would listen and continued, "I'm going to have a private conversation with the sunset." Kiran said seriously and she could feel Ramses give her an odd look, but ignored it. "So, feel free to listen in." Ramses look turned into one of realization before it settled to a blank expression once again.

"Go ahead."

Kiran felt the involuntary twitch of her lips at his blatantly uninterested tone. Why? Simple, because she knew that the tone meant the exact opposite. Kiran opened her mouth before closing it. Mentally growling at the inner debate she had hoped not to have.

' _Is it really okay to say this, to let Ramses know the things I'm about to tell?'_

' _ **Yes.'**_

' _But do I really want him to know?''_

' _ **Yes.'**_

' _Will this make it harder to leave?'_

' _ **...'**_

"Dear sunset," Kiran said in a dramatic tone, smirking at Ramses' snort of amusement. "I think I'm glad I ended up in Egypt." Kiran paused to listen for any audible reaction from Ramses, but there was none, and she couldn't bring herself to check. "I've got to say, just these five months...have been an experience. I've lived more than I ever have before," Kiran couldn't help the excitement and fondness that slipped into her voice. "and learned more than any teacher could have possibly taught me. I daresay that I've even matured a bit. Well, I'm no longer a brat, at least.

"I've found a lot to live for, here. Seti's pretty stoic, but he's almost like a brother to me. Oddly enough, I almost think of Layla as a daughter, and in another life I'd 've adopted her in a heartbeat. Nebet is like the friend I've never had the chance to have. I even think that Harres and I have a tentative friendship...maybe" This time Kiran did spare a look at Ramses, but he didn't catch it. "Ramses…

"Well, Ramses is Ramses. I don't even know what the heck we are. I'd say we're friends, allies for sure. He's infuriating. The only time I can't read him is when I want to, and the only time he's kind is when I'm being mean to him. It's entirely unfair. Furthermore, he won't tell me anything unless I bug the crap out of him to tell me, and then he'll still make me go through hell to get it. He always looks me right in the eyes, and I've never been so irritated by that until I met him...Dear sunset, I'm sorry you're always having to deal with my grief, but I think I'm happy now." Kiran smiled. "I think I'll stay happy, too. Even when I go-"

Kiran let out a very undignified squeak as she was lifted up from the ground. Ramses shifted her around in his arms so that he was carrying her bridal style. When did he even get up?

"R-Ramses!" Kiran practically shrieked. It was more in disbelief than any form of anger.

' _Ramses, you idiot. I was trying to tell you again. You said you wanted to know, right?'_

But those words were lodged in her throat. Somehow, Kiran didn't even _want_ to have to say her resolve outloud. It almost felt like a lie, or rather, like it would be a lie in this moment. Because, if she was forced to say she would leave- right there and then- she wasn't sure she'd be able to. Not while Ramses was holding her like that and the last bits of light from the sun were fading from the sky and it was turning the most lovely shade of purple.

"Ramses, what are you-" Kiran cut herself off when she realized Ramses was walking into the water. Kiran looked- slightly panicked- up at Ramses, who only smirked in return. "Ramses, don't you d-" But of course, Kiran never got to finish her sentence...because Ramses had let her go and fall straight into the water.

It wasn't at all deep, just enough to cushion her from hitting her butt at the bottom of the oasis too harshly. It wasn't cold either, since the desert sun had been beating down on it all day. Kiran was, nonetheless, soaked and furious. Kiran glared up at Ramses, who just laughed.

Kiran smirked at the distracted Ramses before shooting up from the water and tackling him with all her might. Kiran's strength, plus the added weight of the water onto hers, was enough to knock Ramses over into the water. Unfortunately, bringing Kiran with him. They both grunted, Ramses in annoyance and Kiran in displeasure of getting wet _yet again_ , As they both adjusted to keep their heads above water.

"Annoying woman." Ramses grimaced.

"Jerk general." Kiran huffed. "You didn't honestly think I was going to let you get away with that without due retribution, did you?" Kiran smirked down at him. Ramses just stared at her. Kiran's smirk faltered as she tried to find the reason for that.

' _Oh.'_

Kiran realized and she become aware of the fact that she was literally _on top_ of Ramses. Her hands on either side of him as she hovered just above his chest, her knees on one side of him- thank god, Kiran didn't even want to _imagine_ how awkward it would have been if she had ended up straddling him.

Kiran couldn't help her eyes from wandering down Ramses' neck, collarbone, shoulders...chest...perfectly sculpted abs…

Kiran's mouth went dry as she realized that Ramses'- already minimal dress- was...see through. Kiran quickly looked away, her face so hot she seriously considered if it was possible she would faint.

"I must say, I'm a bit displeased that you ended up on top." Ramses said and Kiran choked and spluttered as she pushed off of Ramses with all her might, Landing beside him on her butt with a splash.

"I-I-I-" Kiran stuttered as her face got even more hot, oh god, she was dizzy.

"Did I manage to make you speechless?" Ramses taunted. Kiran snapped out of her embarrassed state in retaliation.

"You wish." Kiran scoffed as she stood up. Ramses stood up after her, though Kiran looked pointedly away as he did this, and when she did look back at him, she only looked at his face.

"Maybe." Ramses spoke and Kiran blinked in surprise, before smiling.

"That will never happen." Kiran assured, but her smile was free of any real challenge, She simply stated it as a fact. "I'm not a silent person by nature."

"And if I kissed you?" Ramses questioned and Kiran halted, before her lips moved of their own will.

"Then I'd be forced to retaliate with a kiss of my own."

Ramses stepped forward and grabbed Kiran's wrist, a _want_ in his eyes that she had never been able to define as such before, and while Kiran could tell what was happening, she didn't push him away. Instead, Kiran let one of her arms wrap itself around Ramses' neck while her other hand was still confined in his grip, Ramses other hand found its way around Kiran's waist.

Their eyes locked in an intense stare, before Ramses brought his lips down to hers. As his mouth moved away from the short kiss, neither had closed their eyes. Kiran felt her control slip as she let her eyes close shut and she raised up to retaliate with a kiss of her own. She wouldn't want to make herself a liar afterall.

Ramses eyes closed, too as Kiran's lips pressed against his own. Ramses' tongue ran along her bottom lip and Kiran opened her mouth to allow his tongue entrance. It was a heated battle of tongues and lips for who-knows-how-long before one of them pulled away, but while Kiran would like to think it was her, she honestly wasn't sure.

An out of breath Kiran took a moment before realizing what she had just done and mentally cursing herself for her weak resolve and for falling into Ramses' pace once again, but he _was_ a phenomenal kisser. Kiran dropped her arm from Ramses neck and Ramses willingly released her wrist. Looking down at her as if he was awaiting her answer.

"Ramses, I can't- I _won't_." Kiran sighed as if it was the hardest thing in the world to say, and it certainly felt like it at the moment. Ramses smiled at her, an honest to god smile.

"Won't is at least less definite than can't." Ramses stated, and he looked happy. Kiran sighed again, this time in resigned fondness.

"I can't stop you from trying." Kiran walked past Ramses, patting his shoulder as she did. "Let's go home, Ramses."

* * *

 **Extra- Unseen Audience**

"Dammit!" Layla shouted irritably as Kiran rejected Ramses. "Why?! WHYYYY?!" Seti sighed as he waited patiently for her to calm down. "I didn't follow them all the way here for _this_!"

"It's pretty much to be expected." Seti stated matter-of-fact-ly. After all, they had been trying to get Kiran and Ramses together for a solid month, and yet both of their combined efforts got them nowhere, even with Layla's rather...creative methods.

"Noooo~!" Layla whined. "I can't accept it! I haven't worked so hard for- for _this_!" Kiran gestured to Ramses and Kiran riding their horses away in companionable silence.

"You mean _we_ haven't worked so hard." Seti corrected with a sliver of irritation present in his voice at the blatant dismissal of his own efforts.

"Yeah, yeah, you helped too." Layla dismissed. Seti sighed irritably and pinched the bridge of his nose. Why oh why did he put up with this girl?

Not even Seti himself noticed the fond look he shot Layla as she continued her rant.

* * *

 **Of course, I couldn't leave out the chapterly dose of Layla and Seti** _ **again**_ **. I would miss them too much.**

 **So, Kiran rejects Ramses, yet again. In her defense, she also doesn't really know the extent of his feelings...** _ **at all**_ **, actually.**

 **The cat will come later.**

 **I have a little something planned for Kiran, with all the grief she's been causing Ramses. Equivalent exchange.**

 **Review?**


	36. Chapter 35 Jealousy

**Happy Halloween! I hope you all eat lots and lots of candy...or alternatively review, I wouldn't have any complaints if you decide to do that instead. Heck, I'm not picky, do both!**

* * *

Chapter 35 Jealousy

Harres and Nebet had left without a goodbye. A proper one, at least. No, Harres had left two horses for Kiran and Layla, each with a note inscribed on a clay tablet which were in small bags tied onto the horse's' reins.

Kiran had discovered, to her great amusement, that Harres had predicted which horse she and Layla would take interest in, if the personalized notes were any indication.

The two horses were both beautiful. It was apparent that Harres had good taste. One of them was a leaner, younger looking horse with a tan coat, white socks on all four legs, and with a blonde mane and tail. The other looked like a horse that had been through war, slightly scarred, muscular, with a chestnut coat, and a black mane and tail.

Of course, Layla went for the tan one. Layla had that kind of taste, slightly vicious personality or not, Layla liked beautiful and wild things. The horse also looked fast, and Kiran was sure Layla had factored in what a thrill it would be to ride it.

Kiran went for the chestnut one. Kiran always did have a penchant for resilient things, maybe it was because she could relate. This horse was most definitely resilient. Though, not as fast a Layla's, the horse wasn't the kind that would be taken down by a single arrow, and that drew Kiran in.

Ramses didn't seem pleased with her gift from Harres, but Kiran wasn't sure why. It wasn't like Harres was giving this gift because he was interested in her. More than likely, Nebet had expressed an interest in leaving them with something nice and Harres had picked up on it.

"Are you jealous, Ramses?" Kiran taunted as she brushed down her horse. Ramses did not reply. Kiran felt oddly pleased by that.

"Ramses~!" A decidedly feminine and extremely surgery sounding voice called out. Kiran blinked as a woman came up behind Ramses and hugged him. "Ramses~" The voice whined. "Why don't you spend your nights with me anymore~? It's so cold without you beside me~!"

Normally, Kiran would laugh at Ramses annoyed expression, or frown upon such a desperate woman, but her brain couldn't quite seem to register what was happening. When it did, Kiran felt an unpleasant feeling settle in her chest.

The woman looked up at her, just then realizing that there was someone other than Ramses there. The unpleasant feeling increased as Kiran got a good look at the decidedly beautiful woman. She had an ample chest and wide hips, along with an almost impossibly thin waist when you figured in her other measurements. She was a good half a foot taller than Kiran herself, though, so her figure didn't look awkward. Her skin was a perfect golden-brown, the kind of skin only the more sheltered women in Egypt could possibly have. Her eyes were thickly lashed and a terracotta color that Kiran rarely saw on people in her time. Her lips were full and pulled into what looked like a natural pout, and her hair was an umber brown and fell all the way down past her hips.

"Oh?" The woman spoke in a condescending tone. "Who's this, Ramses?"

Ramses didn't reply and, even odder, neither did Kiran. Her mouth felt too dry to speak. Still absorbing just how _beautiful_ this woman was and inexplicably _hating_ it.

"She couldn't possibly be your new woman, now could she Ramses?" The woman asked then just as quickly dismissed it with a laugh. "No, of course not." The woman shook her head and skimmed over Kiran with her eyes. "While she's certainly... _unique_ , you could easily have so much more." Kiran could hear the unsaid, 'like me' at the end of that sentence. Still, she did not speak.

Kiran felt a little bit ashamed of herself, which was ridiculous. Kiran hadn't really ever cared about her looks, aside from the basic things, so why did she even care?

"Not even speaking?" The woman sneered. "How obedient, I couldn't possibly imagine you'd keep a woman like _that_ around."

Finally, Kiran felt her temper flare back up. Not necessarily beautiful? Maybe so. _Obedient?_ Never, never, _never_ in Kiran's life had she _ever_ been called such, and just the _assumption_ made her blood boil.

"You must excuse my silence," Kiran's words were pure sarcasm, enough to be caught by even the most naive person. "I was simply surprised by your beauty." The woman seemed to preen under the compliment, only to go red in anger at Kiran's next words. "And baffled by your desperateness and idiotic assumptions."

The woman detached herself from Ramses, walked up to Kiran...and slapped her. Though not particularly painful, the force behind the slap was enough to send Kiran's face looking in the other direction. She was sure her face reflected her shock, but mildly surprised- as she turned around- to see that Ramses' face was also showing the same emotion. Even more surprising was that Ramses still said nothing. That alone was enough to make a lightbulb go off in Kiran's head.

' _Oh, shit.'_

"You dare insult Lady Aurera!" An outraged maid, who was striding up to the scene with clear anger, shouted.

Kiran really hadn't been thinking. People could argue that she _never_ thought, but in reality, Kiran could usually hold her tongue and speak diplomatically. In reality, Kiran was usually very good at realizing the situation. It was all too obvious, but Kiran had been feeling, well, _whatever_ she was feeling and hadn't given her brain the attention needed to make the connection. How would she even deal with this?

Well, when in doubt, blame Ramses. Why the _hell_ did he have to have had sex with a _literally and figuratively 'royal bitch'_? Even _more_ than just sex if this woman hadn't been spinning a tale. If they had truly spent that much time together, did that make them- them _lovers?_ Kiran felt an acidic feeling rise in her chest, eroding away at her heart, and _god_ did that sound pathetic.

"I must apologize." Kiran spoke, regaining her bearings. "I did not realize who you were and spoke brashly." Kiran made sure to clasp her hands in front of her as she spoke, bending at her hips until her torso was almost level with the floor and her eyes downcast. "I am a servant of Lord Ramses. I do sincerely apologize for the misunderstanding and my rude behavior towards you, my lady, you may do with me as you wish."

Every word tasted bitter as they left her mouth. Kiran could feel defiant tears spring into her eyes, because, dammit, her pride was taking a major hit at the moment. Her stomach churned at the words spoken in her own voice. The whole situation just disgusted her, but the reality of the situation was that it needed to be said. If Kiran didn't correct her actions, Ramses would be in trouble for it, and that didn't sit well with Kiran. That didn't make it feel any less demeaning.

"Oh?" The delighted tone in the woman's voice made Kiran inwardly cringe. "Then how about being my maid while I stay here. I only brought Hasina with me, and I'm so used to having two handmaids at home. That seems like suitable repayment, right Ramses?"

"Yes," Ramses said with what Kiran wasn't sure to call surprising or unsurprising conflict in his eyes, though this conflict remained only visible to Kiran as his tone was completely blank.

If Kiran was forced to either repeat what she just said or face Ames again, she has no idea which would be worse.

* * *

 **That was depressing,** _ **really**_ **. So, here's an extra.**

 **Extra- Layla**

Layla smiled warmly at the note left for her as she read it.

 _Dear Layla._

 _Sorry I couldn't stay longer, but we had to go. We already imposed for a month, much longer than I intended when Harres suggested we come to see you._

(You didn't really think the letter was written by Harres, did you?)

 _However, I had a great time. I can see why you were able to get along with Kiran, she is truly an interesting woman. She seems like a good person to take care of you as I cannot. I believe I can trust her with that much._

 _I hope you enjoy the rest of your life, Layla. I know it hasn't been optimal or easy thus far and you deserve so much more than you've gotten. Let yourself live, Layla. Don't waste all of your time on other people and just enjoy yourself sometimes. Let yourself smile, I know there's always one hidden under every act of attitude. Most of all, let yourself love._

 _You didn't think I failed to notice the way you looked at that Seti, did you?_

Layla gaped as she felt her face heat up, she was sure it had turned a million shades of red at this point, too.

 _Love,_

 _Nebet_

Layla heard footsteps approach behind her and quickly slipped the clay tablet back into it's bag. She looked over her shoulder to realize it was Seti. Pushing down her blush, with tremendous effort, Layla turned to face him completely. He didn't look too happy. Layla frowned thoughtfully at his expression.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Kiran?" Seti questioned moodily in a tone that tried so hard to be indifferent, before his eyes flickered quickly to the bag in her hand, expression momentarily becoming a scowl and Layla came to a realization. Her mouth formed an O for a second before she smirked ferally.

"Are you jealous Se-ti~?" Layla enunciated his name as she reveled in the subtle blush that came to Seti's cheeks. It was gone just as quickly as it came, though, and his expression turned blank once again.

"Don't be ridiculous." Seti dismissed and walked off.

Layla sighed at his retreating form, "I don't know, Nebet." Layla patted her horse. "You know I've never really had the patience for such things." But her eyes flickered over to Seti again and the ghost of a smile appeared on her face.

* * *

 **Yeah. I've put Ramses through the jealousy phase twice already, now it's Kiran's turn. Worst of all, Ramses can't do anything about it, because of** _ **who**_ **is making Kiran jealous. Ramses womanizing has turned against him, but we all saw that coming.**

 **Kiran's also going to have to serve the woman she's jealous of, I wonder how long she'll last until she freaks out again.**

 **And** _ **yes**_ **, Layla likes Seti, all bets are off on whether she'll act on it, though.**

 **Review?**


	37. Chapter 36 Players and Games

Chapter 36 Players and Games

Kiran was so close to snapping she wasn't sure whether to call in pathetic or insane. Her hands were twitching, her jaw was clenched so tight that there were visible signs, and her eyes were so hard that you could swear they wouldn't have been broken by diamonds.

All of that was visible from where Layla was standing a good thirty feet away, hiding behind a wall. Yet another testament to how obvious it was.

"Go fetch me some more wine."

Of course, the royal girl- Layla vaguely remembered her name as Aurera- didn't seem to notice, or just didn't care. The sparkle in her eyes every time she gave Kiran an order told Layla is was the latter.

Layla was just as irritated at seeing Kiran have to serve such a prissy, pompous, selfish _bitch_ of a woman. _Kiran_ , who took her in despite her less than stellar introduction. _Kiran_ , who _always_ seemed to put someone else before herself- whether she realized it or not. _Kiran_ , who cared more about whether her punch was strong enough than perfectly taming her mane of hair. It was possible Layla was _slightly_ biased, but all of it still held a certain degree of truth.

Layla didn't like seeing such a strong and independent woman serve someone so decidedly _not_. It grated at her nerves in the worst possible ways. Maybe it was because she could so easily draw a parallel between herself and Kiran. Layla, who despite all of her thoughts, adhered very strongly to morals, having to serve _Ames_ who had absolutely _none_.

It just made her blood boil to see the woman who took her in, who she could very well say _saved_ her, be forced to obediently serve such an obnoxious woman. At least some of that overwhelming rage, Layla knew was directed at _Ramses._

After all, _he_ was the reason Kiran was doing this. _He_ was the one Kiran was doing this _for. He_ was the one who made the mistake of bedding such a woman. It was _his_ fault and yet _Kiran_ was paying for it. She always did. _Ramses_ was the reason Kiran ended up having to kill Ames- she had heard their conversation before he led her away, _Ramses_ was the reason Kiran had come to her to complain and cry, _Ramses_ was the reason Kiran was having to do _this_.

Ramses had never liked Layla, and now the feeling was mutual, and it would _stay_ mutual until Ramses _fixed_ the situation. Layla couldn't continue to be mad at him after that. He was, after all, the person with the biggest chance of successfully convincing Kiran to stay.

Layla turned around, taking her eyes off the pompous royal _bitch_ , and walked away.

' _You better do something, Ramses, or_ I _will.'_

* * *

Kiran sighed, trying to will her body to relax as she put the pitcher of wine on the tray. Being frustrated wouldn't help her and it _certainly_ wouldn't help Ramses. Even if that awful fucking _bitch_ was treating her like a _damn_ slave. Kiran felt her blood boil at the very thought and growled as her body tensed up yet again.

It was just so _hard_ not to be mad at the treatment she was receiving. Ever with her aunt, Kiran could at least snark back- and she did, _a lot_ , as it seemed to her like her only defense against the woman- but with Aurera, she couldn't do that. It felt so demeaning. _Especially_ for Kiran, who was so used to the upper class treatment she received in her time before she ended up here. Maybe Kiran would look back on all of it and call it humbling, but at the moment, it was really just infuriating.

Kiran balanced the tray as she walked back to Aurera.

She stepped gracefully over Hasina's outstretched foot as she did so, meeting the maid's failing smirk with a small lip-twitch of triumph. It was always important to acknowledge the lesser victories when you were having a hard time. Especially when the hard time you were dealing with had to do with a bitch who was exercising her right to order you around like a slave.

"Hurry up with that wine!" The- apparently naturally- honeyed voice of Aurera was starting to sound less like a sweet drip and more like a screeching banshee. Then again, it was possible Kiran was _slightly_ biased. Slightly.

"Yes, my lady." Kiran answered as she gracefully poured the wine from the pitcher into the small cup and handed it to Aurera. Said woman was lounging in a way that- while it looked like sexy incarnate- couldn't have possibly been comfortable. Unfortunately, the moment she took pondering this left Kiran susceptible to be shoved by Hasina.

All at once, The pitcher and tray toppled over as Kiran just barely managed to stay standing herself. The burgundy liquid spilled over Aurera, turning her white silken gown an unsightly red. It was only Kiran's quick reflexes that kept the tray and pitcher from falling and injuring the obnoxious woman. Part of her was unsure of if that was really _lucky_ , though. It was slightly satisfying to hear Aurera's indignant shriek at her makeover, courtesy of the wine. Still, Kiran registered that she didn't move out of that _pose_ that she had been holding- laying on her side with her hip and chest showing off impressive curves while she propped her chin on her hand, her bare legs crossing nicely.

"Is there a problem?"

It was then that Kiran knew _why_. She turned slowly, with a sudden loss of any breath that had been filling her lungs. _Ramses_. There stood the great general that she had been trying so hard not to disgrace despite the humiliation she was having to endure. He stared on with cold dual-colored eyes- reminding her slightly of when they first met. Her anxious blue eyes met his own gold and brown ones.

"She poured wine on me!" Aurera's horrid voice intervened, "You should have her whipped for such a crime!"

Strangely, it wasn't Aurera's comment about her would-be punishment that affected Kiran. No, it was the realization of what was going on. The pose Aurera was in _wasn't_ natural, and Hasina's making her spill the wine on her lady hadn't been an error in judgement. The answer felt like a slap to the face. _Aurera had played her._ Still, even with that realization there was a burning shame in Kiran's stomach for _letting_ it happen. Kiran was forced to look away from Ramses' eyes before the shame leaked into her own.

She really should have realized what was going on, but she had let herself become too secure, too comfortable in her own abilities and Aurera's incompetence. Aurera didn't appear to be incompetent at all, though. Pathetic- with her incessant whining over Ramses like a dog for a bone- she was, and she certainly wasn't _smart_ , but one didn't have to be smart to be cunning. Kiran should have known that, especially considering who she had for an aunt.

Kiran mentally heaved a heavy sigh- she had been played like a freaking fiddle. Alright, she would concede, it was her own fault for letting her guard down. The humiliation that followed would be a hard lesson learned.

"I apologize," Kiran turned her head to look Ramses in the eyes again, "it was my fault this happened and I will be willing to accept any punishment." The difficulty was less in the words than it was in suppressing the feeling of her dying ego.

Ramses face was like unwavering steel, but his eyes told a different story. He was unsure. Perhaps it could even be called _unwilling_. Maybe at another time Kiran would have found it endearing. Not at this moment. At this moment a decision needed to be made for the sake of Ramses' future. She had no idea _when_ she became so invested in seeing him become king, but she had and she _would_ protect that future any way she could- within reason. It was then that she turned her gaze to Seti.

As his hazel eyes met her blue ones, there was a silent exchange and he immediately understood. After all, they both had the same wish for Ramses. Seti closed his eyes for a moment and heaved a silent sigh.

"I'll deal with her." Seti spoke, walking up to Kiran and grabbing her arm in a way that wasn't painful, but still made her feel mortifyingly like a child being scolded. "Lord Ramses, Lady Aurera." Seti bowed to the two royals before walking, dragging Kiran along with him. Kiran childishly ignored Seti's apologetic look in attempt to save any last bit of her pride as she looked back over her shoulder.

Kiran watched as Aurera snaked her arm through Ramses' and began to walk with him down the hall in the opposite direction. But before they were out of sight, Kiran observed Aurera look over her own shoulder to meet her eyes. Then, she gave a mocking closed lip smile before turning back around and clinging to Ramses arm tighter as she leaned her head against him.

The burning feeling was back.

* * *

"Hmm...maybe I should get my sister before she causes _too much_ trouble."

* * *

 **Extra- To Be King**

Kiran held a deep admiration for Ramses before it could have been considered _love_ by _any_ stretch. She held an admiration for his military prowess and diplomatic acuity. In fact, Kiran had held this admiration before _meeting_ the man.

 _"What are you reading?" Someone asked, Kiran didn't really know their name._

 _"The story of a great Egyptian King." Kiran answered, not looking up as she flipped to the next page._

" _Ramses II?" The person asked. Kiran looked up at them with an annoyed look._

" _No." Kiran said resolutely. "Ramses II's father was the one who laid the groundwork for him." She finally looked up to face the person. "I prefer to praise the one who built the empire, rather than the one who ruled it."_

" _But Ramses didn't actually build-"_

" _Yeah, yeah. It's a metaphor, get over it."_

* * *

 **Did anyone even really remember that Kiran's a bit of an ancient history nut? Honestly, I think that even I forgot about it for a while.**

 **Review?**


	38. Chapter 37 Making Me Conflicted

Chapter 37 Making Me Conflicted

"I'm sorry for this." Seti apologized, in a rare show of both words and emotion. Kiran, no longer stubbornly ignoring him to try and salvage her pride, faced him.

"It isn't your fault." Kiran spoke, even as she held back a wince from the feeling of Seti shackling her wrists. "If anything," She sighed, "It's mine. I was such an idiot to not figure out what Aurera was doing. I'm usually more aware than that." Kiran berated herself.

"It's not your fault." Seti practically growled. Kiran gave him a slightly startled look. Seti was rarely angry, and when he was it was more an _annoyed_ angry, but this...this seemed serious.

"Aurera is an important person." Kiran spoke, looking Seti directly in the eyes. He looked her back in the eyes before giving a barely audible huff.

"Yes." Seti said as he stood up.

That was all the confirmation she needed. Kiran watched Seti walk out of the cell with a slightly solemn look, but the anger was suppressed deep down, now. Kiran could trust that Seti wouldn't do anything. After all, both of them wanted Ramses to be Pharaoh. Dealing with Aurera was just collateral damage.

So why wasn't the burning feeling leaving her chest?

* * *

Layla had given Ramses the chance. She had given him the time and space to do _something_ about that bitch Aurera. Yet, all he did was stand by and let her get thrown in the dungeon...again.

When Layla thought about it, Ramses was the cause of Kiran being in jail _twice_. The first time she had killed Ames- Kiran wouldn't have even gone with the snake if it wasn't for Ramses. The same went with the Aurera mess. Kiran would have no problem sticking up for herself if Ramses' reputation wasn't on the line. What's more is that Ramses _let_ it happen.

That was precisely why, despite the fact that Layla was slightly intimidated by him, she now found herself knocking on his office door.

"Come in." Layla heard Ramses say through the door. She flung the door open with that response, boldly walking in.

"What are you thinking?!" Layla growled at Ramses. It was a good thing Seti wasn't in the room, because Layla may have actually felt a bit of shame in her actions if that were the case.

Ramses stared at her condescending for a moment before speaking, "What are you talking about?"

"Having Kiran thrown in the dungeon." Layla glowered at him. "Who the hell is that woman to make you do that? We both know Kiran didn't even do anything wrong, anyway. Are you casting Kiran aside now-" Layla cut her rant off when she caught sight of Ramses' vaguely guilty expression.

That stood out as a big deal to her- considering that _vaguely_ guilty was probably as outwardly guilty as the general got. It caught Layla by surprise- although that could have been because Ramses was just an arrogant bastard in her mind. Maybe she had been misjudging him, after all, there had to be _some_ reason that Kiran fell for the general- even if she _was_ in denial about it. After a minute of mental debate, Layla took a breath in and spoke.

"Kiran may be a bit of an enigma, but that doesn't mean you can disregard her feelings as a woman." Layla felt so odd speaking like that to Ramses, as he was of greater age and status than her. Still, she had a feeling that Ramses didn't really know much about _loving_ someone.

"I didn't mean to _disregard_ her feelings." Ramses said monotonously, but Layla could still hear the underlying guilt.

"It doesn't change the fact that you _did_." Layla reprimanded, but stopped herself when she realized it wasn't going to help any. "Hmmm...alright, I can help you." Ramses shot her an annoyed look, like the very _implication_ that he needed help was offensive. Still, it said something that he didn't outright reject her offer. "Buy her a gift, something she'll _really_ like that proves you know and care about her."

"Do you have anything in mind?" Ramses questioned her.

"No, I'm not entirely sure." Layla answered and walked out of the room, because Layla wasn't just going to _tell_ him the answer. She was still mad at him and besides, what was the point of a _meaningful_ gift if he didn't get it himself.

"Did you just come out of Ramses' office?" The voice belonged to Seti and was laced with incredulity.

"Yep." Layla spoke cheerfully with a secretive grin and Seti shook his head at her, but she noticed a sliver of a smile on his face.

* * *

Kiran had realized something about being locked up after the first time it happened to her; it gave her a lot of time to think. More than that, it gave her time to think _honestly_ \- after the initial dishonest thoughts brought out from annoyance at _being_ locked up. So, Kiran thought honestly to herself.

 _'It's strange how far I went to protect Ramses' reputation. It was only a few months ago that I hated his guts. Although, admittedly, I never hated_ _ **King**_ _Ramses. Even with that in mind, I'm caring way too much, but why?'_

 _ **'Why do you think?'**_

Kiran's eyes widened in realization.

"I...like Ramses?" Kiran questioned breathlessly. Not a crush, like as in _more_ than crush-like. The possibility was already in her head, but now she felt she couldn't deny that it was true.

 _'That's not good. Besides, even if that is the case, it doesn't change anything. I'm not going to stay and Ramses...'_

 _ **'What about Ramses?'**_

"He...doesn't think of me seriously like that." Kiran said the words aloud, trying to ingrain that truth in her mind. Ramses may be _interested_ , but he didn't _like_ her.

 _ **'Are you sure?'**_

No. She wasn't _sure_. With the way Ramses acted, it was possible her feelings were mutual. Still, the only way to know for sure was to ask, but if the answer was 'yes'...

 _'Would I still be able to leave?'_

"I don't know."

"Do you make a habit of talking to yourself?"

* * *

 **Extra- Gift**

Ramses did know Kiran, but it was more of an understanding of her as a person. Kiran had never told him her likes and dislikes, and- while he could assume some of them- that made it difficult in his search for a gift.

Jewelry and clothes wouldn't do- even if Kiran were to want either, Ramses wouldn't know what kinds she liked. He wouldn't copy Harres by getting her a horse- while he was sure she would love it, the thought of mimicking Harres left a bad taste in his mouth. He didn't know her favorite foods, colors, or materials. It hindered his ability to pick out anything for her.

More than all of that, though, Ramses didn't feel it was as meaningful of a gift if it was something he could just as easily bring her here to pick for herself. Ramses eyes landed on a cat walking along the edge of the water.

The cat's fur was tan and spotted with small spots of brown. The way the cat maneuvered was graceful, but sure and fast. In all honestly, it kind of reminded him of Kiran. Suddenly the cat ran past him, he turned to see it leap into the arms of a woman. She looked familiar, although Ramses couldn't pinpoint why for some reason.

She was beautiful with her long blonde hair, but she definitely wasn't foreign. The only thing that really struck him as strange was her eyes. They were golden like those of a lioness- his mind briefly flashed to Kiran at the thought.

She turned to face him with a smile, "You look like you're at a loss." Ramses eyed her warily. "Could you be looking for something, General?"

"Yes," Ramses spoke cautiously, and for some reason he found his eyes shifting to the cat in the woman's arms, "I am." The woman seemed to notice his interest and smiled again before walking over to him...and placing the cat in his arms. Ramses was taken aback, "wh-" but the woman was already walking away.

Ramses stared down at the cat and the cat's blue eyes stared back up at him. That was when Ramses got a better look at the cat's thicker fur and limbs, along with the rounded ears and longer face. A lion cub.

It looked like he didn't have to find a gift, the perfect one had found him.

* * *

 **Fun facts:**

 **\- Layla has never spoke to Ramses alone before this chapter**

 **\- Layla has spoken only ten words to Ramses since she was introduced**

 **\- Layla spoke eight lines in the first chapter she was introduced in, five more than Seti in his first chapter**

 **\- Of the eighteen chapters since Layla has been introduced, she's actually been in thirteen of them**

 **Tell me if you guys would be interested in any more fun facts.**

 **Review?**


	39. Chapter 38 Unbending Loyalties

Chapter 38 Unbending Loyalties

"Do you make a habit of talking to yourself?"

Kiran stood so quickly in surprise of the new voice that she could hear the blood in her head rush. She naturally shifted to a defensive stance and looked to the new presence. On the other side of the bars, crouched down and now looking up at her with an inquisitive expression was a terracotta-eyed, auburn-haired Egyptian boy. He seemed to be little more than a year younger than Kiran, though, so maybe _boy_ wasn't quite the right term. Kiran passively observed that he was extremely good looking, but some of his features seemed vaguely familiar...she wondered why.

"Who are you?" Kiran questioned, raising her chin slightly and narrowing her eyes at the handsome boy. He rose out of his crouch to his full height of what Kiran assumed was just a couple inches under six feet, so not terribly intimidating.

"Hmm," He hummed interestedly, "so _you're_ the reason she was so pissed. Still, if you're down here, she must have gotten her way." The boy tilted his head and his eyes roamed over him in a way that was more observant than perverted. Still, Kiran clenched her fists and widened her stance slightly. The boy's eyes shifted to her fists with the movement and he let out a small, 'huh'.

"...What do you mean?" Kiran's narrowed blue gaze shifted to his terracotta one, which was still twinkling with interest. "Who-" Suddenly the features and eye color clicked in Kiran's mind and her lips parted in surprise.

"My name is Ameny." The boy responded to her unfinished question. Then, he took a few steps forward until he was right at the bars of the cell and Kiran stood her ground, but all of her senses went on high alert. "Ramses hasn't been treating you well, has he?" The boy's hand reached through the cage and Kiran eyed it warily, flinching back when he touched her hair. "You could come with me, I would like some interesting company." He smiled sweetly at her, but Kiran knew better than to trust sweet smiles.

"I am loyal to Ramses." Kiran stated firmly.

"Shame." The boy brought his hand back and then proceeded to pull out a set of keys and...unlock the cell door. The cell was open, but Kiran made no move towards him. The boy sighed before turning his back to her and walking away.

"Why?" Kiran questioned curiously before he was completely out of sight.

The boy looked over his shoulder and Kiran could see a small grin on his face as he answered with, "I feel that it will be more interesting this way." With those words, he was out of Kiran's sight.

Kiran waited a few seconds until she could no longer hear footsteps before exiting, grabbing the keys that were still in the lock and heading to the dungeon entrance. She stopped walking when she saw the guard passed out and took a moment to reevaluate exactly how dangerous Ameny was before walking out. Then, she stopped walking again.

"What am I doing?" Kiran asked herself.

What was she doing? It would get Ramses in trouble if Aurera was to see that she was out after not even a day. Sure, part of her wanted to walk right out and set Aurera straight, but what right did she have? She wasn't Ramses lover or wife and she wasn't really Bastet or a royal- in this time, anyway. She wasn't even staying too much longer.

Kiran buried her hands in her hair in frustration.

"Why is everything so damned complicated?"

* * *

Ameny stood around the corner from the dungeon entrance, waiting to see if Kiran would actually come out...only to sigh when she didn't. Really, damn Ramses to hell for having the woman so whipped that all his fun was ruined.

He remembered asking her to come with him. It was actually a genuine offer. The woman knew how to fight and was reasonably apprehensive when he dropped in out of nowhere. Not many women were apprehensive of him after seeing him. Ameny knew what he looked like and he'd seen enough women turn into giggling messes despite him so clearly not caring about them- sometimes he was even outright rude, but that made no difference. The fact that Kiran remained clear-headed and seemingly not the least bit interested was appealing to him.

Unfortunately, her loyalty to Ramses prevented her from accepting his offer. Even more than that, her devotion to him kept him from having his fun with the situation. It sickened him to see a lioness act like a pet cat at Ramses' foot.

He wasn't especially happy with his sister's infatuation with the General, either. Aurera wasn't as stupid and bitchy as she acted, but there was a certain level of both needed to fend off any other women interested in Ramses and his sister saw that. Somehow, Ameny didn't see Kiran as the type to flee from a challenge.

Except she _was_ avoiding the challenge, which made Ameny even more curious. If Kiran wasn't running from the challenge, then what _was_ she running from. The woman was an absolute mystery and Ameny very badly wanted to solve it.

A small grin touched his lips as he heard footsteps start back up. It looked like he might get to have his fun after all.

* * *

Layla was in a foul mood. Which was actually really strange, considering she'd gotten to reprimand Ramses and Surprise Seti. That didn't happen every day- ever, actually- and for Layla it should have been enough to make her happiness drunk for _at least_ a couple days. Unfortunately, that determination didn't factor in _Aurera_.

"Wine, Layla!" The bitch- know by others as Aurera- shouted at her. Gods, was she annoying.

Still, Layla had been a servant all her life and- despite popular opinion- _did_ actually know how to hold her tongue. It wasn't as if she'd have been able to survive this long if she didn't. Ames- when he was alive- wasn't exactly the type you could talk back to without consequences. The people she was with now- Seti, Ramses, Kiran- hadn't gotten a chance to see that weaker side of her. They'd never seen her submit, because with with Kiran she didn't _have_ to.

Kiran _appreciated_ her talking back, her honesty and sharp-tongue. Kiran gave Layla the _chance_ to be that way, to be her _true_ self. Before, it was only Nebet and her sister who'd known that person. When Kiran came, she no longer had to hide.

Layla gritted her teeth as she poured the wine into a cup, then put both the pitcher and cup on the tray and walked over to Layla with a carefully neutral expression. Aurera wasn't Kiran, to state the obvious.

Aurera took a sip of the wine before her expression turned sour.

"What is this?!" Aurera yelled at her, but Layla kept her expression neutral.

"It's wine." Layla answered normally, holding back the condescending drawl that statement deserved to be accompanied with.

Layla had no time to duck as the entire tray was thrown at her. She dodged most of it, but the reddish liquid stained her clothes and the pitcher glanced off her temple. It hit hard enough that she winced and brought her hand up to clutch at it, only to wince again. It was sure to bruise.

"I know that, you uneducated whore! You may be used to mediocre quality wine but I am not. Get me the wine befitting of my position you lowly bitch!"

"That's enough." A voice spoke with an icy edge. Both Layla and Aurera turned to see Kiran with a cold glare on her face that was directed at the latter. "You've gone too far, Lady Aurera." Although she added the title, her tone didn't hold even a margin of respect, just a cold barely contained fury. "It's one thing to trick and punish me. I disrespected you and you felt a threat to your position." The 'both as a noble and by Ramses' side' was left unsaid, but the slight angry red tint to Aurera's cheeks showed that she understood. "It's another thing entirely to demean Layla- who may be a servant, but is also someone Ramses is allowing to stay here- when she poses no threat to you and hasn't shown you any disrespect."

Aurera looked outraged. She rose from her comfortable position on the ground to glare at Kiran mutinously and yell, "How _dare_ you?" Kiran's cool faded from her own face as her glare became heated.

"Layla is no whore and you should drop your superiority act. Belittling people does not earn you respect from anyone. It only serves to make you seem uneducated and cruel." Kiran spoke, her tone somehow holding steady, even as her glare grew more heated. "I've never seen Ramses act that way to anyone and I won't let someone who does act that way stay by his side."

Kiran was speaking from the heart without any plan and without any filter. It was true. Kiran may not be staying, but that didn't mean she would approve of just anyone who did. Ramses was going to be a great king and he deserved a great queen by his side.

"What gives you the right to-"

"Nothing." Kiran cut her off. "I have no status here and I won't even be staying much longer," Kiran's gaze turned steely as she continued with complete confidence, "but I want Ramses to succeed, not just as a man, but as a king. I don't care if he wants me by his side and I don't care if he holds any affection for me, I am loyal to Ramses and the wonderful leader I know he'll become."

Aurera's words died in her throat as she looked at Kiran. For once, she wasn't looking at her as a lesser or as a threat, only as this fiercely loyal woman whose hope wasn't to stay by Ramses' side, but for him to become all he could become.

Aurera was humbled.

Despite what other people thought, Aurera wasn't unreasonable. No, actually, she only acted the way she did because she thought it was necessary. Show people that they can take from you and they will steal everything you have and show people they can knock you down they will be sure to never let you back up. That was just how the world worked. Yet-

" _Belittling people does not earn you respect from anyone. It only serves to make you seem uneducated and cruel."_

While respect wasn't necessarily what Aurera was aiming for, the lesson still struck a cord. She could be strong without being cruel and she could protect what was hers without petty tricks. The woman in front of her was right and without any concrete justifications to defend herself with, Aurera knew she had to step down.

Still, Aurera put on a haughty smirk to hide the slight shape that came with her realizations before she spoke, "I see now that my actions were rather atrocious and- though it is unbecoming of someone of my status-" Aurera let the smirk slip just for a moment so both Layla and Kiran could see her sincerity, "I apologize for the way I've treated you."

Though there was still a horrible sensation in her stomach that came along with the words- like her pride screeching and lashing out in protest- Aurera felt it was the right thing to say. Although, she did startle a bit when Kiran grinned at her, teeth fully in view in a way that was most _certainly_ not ladylike.

"Hey," Kiran spoke, sounding equal parts thrilled and amused, "I saw that look. It seems we're not _completely_ different, Lady Aurera. You get that 'my pride is dying' feeling, too, huh?" Aurera blinked at her for a moment before huffing and turning her back.

"I'll be leaving. I think I over-extended my stay." Aurera spoke haughtily. Her position facing the other direction thankfully hiding her half-indignant and half embarrassed blush as she strode away gracefully.

* * *

 **Extra- Amends**

Layla blinked slowly in confusion at the sight of Aurera's maid- Hasina, she recalled- at her door. Layla had just been getting ready to sleep when a knock interrupted her. She had grumbled with every step as she walked to the door that seemed _miles_ further away than usual.

"What do you want?" Layla grumbled. The rudeness wasn't even a result of her fatigue, just that Layla didn't see the need to wear a mask of politeness in front of someone who held the same status as her. Hasina seemed reasonably offended, but didn't retaliate.

"Lady Aurera sent me to tend to your injuries." Hasina spoke.

That was a shack to Layla, although she _supposed_ it made sense after Aurera's change of heart...Still, she had assumed the bitch's new found civility was exclusive to Kiran. Layla didn't really think she inspired the respect Kiran did, but maybe that was because she didn't unconsciously _demand_ it like Kiran.

Of course, Layla let the girl inside, because she had no reason to reject treatment. Although she was very near regretting it when Hasina rambled on about how grateful she should be that her lady Aurera had such a 'kind heart'.

* * *

 **Aurera had a change of heart, because despite how she acted, she is able to realize when she's making a mistake. That doesn't mean she likes Kiran or that she's over Ramses, though, not by a long shot.**

 **So, Ramses didn't appear in this chapter at all, but he will be in the next one.**

 **Tell me if you liked Ameny.**

 **Review!**


	40. Chapter 39 Caught Between

Chapter 39 Caught Between

"Ameny?" Kiran questioned as her features twisted in visible confusion. "Why is he here?"

Aurera had left nearly a month ago and she was sure Ameny had left with her. Still, if her eyes weren't betraying her, the handsome boy was conversing rather civilly with Ramses- although it didn't seem like either particularly liked or disliked each other.

"I don't know." Layla replied, and then glared over at Seti. " _He_ won't tell me anything."

Kiran looked over at Seti, who was pointedly ignoring Layla's glare. If he wasn't telling Layla the reason Ameny was there, then there was really only one possibility. Ameny was helping in Ramses' investigation.

Kiran eyed Ameny for a moment. He couldn't be more than sixteen, a year- she guessed it was actually _two_ years at this point- younger than her. It seemed strange that he would be in a powerful enough position- no it didn't.

Kiran hesitated for a second before looking over to Ramses and Ameny again.

She kept forgetting that things worked differently here. It had worked in her favor before- the patterns of the high class and their etiquette was crammed into her long ago- but there were some things she supposed she just wasn't used to. Ameny was Aurera's brother, which meant he was also royalty, which meant he had responsibilities. No matter how similar the actions and etiquette of the high class in her time, if you were under eighteen you wouldn't be considered an adult or capable of being in charge. Though, she supposed now she _was_ eighteen now.

A whole other issue to worry about.

' _Worry?'_

What did she have to _worry_ about being eighteen? _Oh_. That's right. Adamson told her to think about it until she was eighteen and then give him her official answer. While that hadn't stopped him from sending her letters every month...it still kind of made her feel like she'd missed something.

She had been so strongly opposed to having _anything_ to do with Adamson or Fleming before, but...things were different. Now she _cared_ about that kingdom she had been entitled to. She was thankful to Ramses, since it was partially due to his influence. Seeing him so...so invested in making Egypt the best it could be, the land and the people, it made her...admire him- as a leader, of course.

' _ **And also as a man.'**_

Kiran shook her head. Sure, she now couldn't deny her feelings for Ramses, but they were fairly one-sided and still not enough for her to stay. She had obligations, ones Ramses would _respect_. Kiran knew he would, since her need to take care of Fleming was painfully similar to his loyalty to Egypt.

More than that, it had been almost eight months since Kiran had come to Egypt. Eight months. Which meant that in a couple more months, her cousin would be born. There was an ache in Kiran's chest, and while at first she thought it was longing...that just wasn't the case. It was guilt, guilt because a part of her _so badly_ wanted to stay.

Kiran ran her hand over her face. How foolish. She shouldn't feel that way. Despite Ramses seeming to want a relationship with her, Kiran knew it was probably nothing more than casual. Seti and Layla would be fine. Layla had Nebet and Seti's loyalty to Ramses was the most important thing to him.

' _And Fleming and my cousin both need me. This isn't even my_ time _.'_

That ache in her chest wouldn't go away.

"I'm going to go dunk my head in the Nile." Kiran mumbled, walking away.

* * *

Ramses shifted his attention to Kiran the moment she entered the room, though he didn't turn away from Ameny. It would have been seen as disrespectful and Ramses knew, despite how civil he acted, Ameny would jump at the chance to accuse Ramses of impropriety. Cold, cunning bastard that he was, Ramses would admit he didn't particularly _dislike_ the kid.

Of course, Ameny _did_ notice when Ramses shifted his attention to Kiran. Still, despite the look he shot Ramses, clouded with irritation, they both knew he couldn't accuse Ramses when his eyes and ears were still focused on Ameny.

He threw short passing glances over at her, though nothing more because he knew Ameny would be quick to point it out. That was why he knew she was talking to Layla, which was no real surprise. Layla was constantly taking up Kiran's attention, which wouldn't be a problem if Ramses actually trusted her. Though, he supposed that after the advice she'd given him maybe some trust was deserved.

Ramses cast another glance over at the two- technically three, but Seti wasn't even talking, only being glared at by Layla- but this time he didn't turn his gaze back. Kiran looked upset. He wasn't sure about what, but it was definitely there. Something like a mixture of worry and guilt filling the lines of her face, mouth set in a grim line while her blue eyes were clouded with the thoughts in her head.

To most everyone else it simply looked like she was staring ahead at Ramses and Ameny, observing the situation. Ramses, however, could tell her mind was elsewhere. His suspicions were confirmed when she mumbled something to Layla and walked away.

"General Ramses, are you paying attention?" Ameny questioned him with an amused edge. "This _is_ a pressing matter, you know. The Assyrians are getting awfully-"

Ramses stood, barely catching what Ameny said as he walked over to Layla. Said girl was still staring off in the direction the gold-haired woman left, but she startled when Ramses stopped at her side. Layla turned slowly, eyeing him warily. It seemed that, despite her bold confrontation of him the month prior, Layla was still intimidated by him.

"Where has Kiran gone off to?" Ramses asked the wary Layla.

"I believe she said she was off to 'dunk her head in the Nile'." Layla drawled and Ramses took a step away in the direction of the Nile. "But, Ramses." Layla called out before he could leave. Ramses didn't speak or even turn around, but he didn't walk any farther either. He thought he heard Layla mumble, "Arrogant", but he ignored that, too. Then, she spoke loud enough for him to hear, "Now might be a good time for that gift."

Ramses didn't reply, but he did momentarily change direction.

* * *

"Ha!" Ameny let out a single laugh as Ramses ignored him and walked off to go find Kiran. "What a ruse. Just a month ago he left her to rot in a dungeon on request by my sister and now he can't hold an important conversation without looking over at her every couple of seconds."

Ameny had seen the astounding level of devotion Kiran held for Ramses, but he had assumed Ramses was using it for his own benefit. After all, Ramses did nothing in response to his sister's harsh treatment of the woman. Now, Ramses seemed to the one being pulled along. Ameny didn't know what to think.

"I don't exactly like him, either." A voice spoke out and Ameny hid his surprise, calmly turning to the person. It was that maid. Layla, wasn't it? "Still, he was in a difficult situation with that b- Aurera." Layla corrected, but Ameny didn't particularly care. The bitch act was actually one of his sister's clever points. "If he took Kiran's side, it was a huge insult."

"Oh?" Ameny questioned, interest sparking in his eyes. "Then what explanation do you have for him disregarding our conversation?" He questioned, curious of what answer she could come up with. Her neutral brown eyes met his terracotta ones.

"I don't think you have any intention of tattling on Ramses for his behavior, and I think he knows that, too. Sure, you'll loiter it over him, which is sure to annoy him, but you won't make it a formal complaint. For whatever reason, you're letting things with Ramses play out."

Ameny stared into Layla's eyes for a moment before grinning, "If you figure that reason out, be sure to tell me." For a moment, Layla narrowed her eyes, perhaps taking his words as an insinuation that she had been wrong. Then, her eyes opened up again, interpreting the words the way he meant them. A challenge. A dare for her to find out exactly what motivated him. It seemed Ramses was surrounded by interesting characters, this maid was no exception.

"You can count on it." Layla finally spoke, and then walked over to Ramses' confidant.

Ameny watched as the confidant, he recalled Ramses referring to him as Seti, gave a dreading look when he saw her approach. Ameny squinted and saw that underneath that dread was something else, and then he laughed. Interesting indeed.

* * *

Kiran wasn't kidding about dunking her head in the Nile. When she got to the edge of the huge river, that's exactly what she did. Fresh, cool water wound through her hair, loosening every strand until it was its own individual being, fanning out in suspended animation under the water. All gold strands turned darker until they were nearly bronze, and then turned back to gold as the constant Egyptian sun hit it through the water.

She kept her head under, opening her eyes. It was so blue, not polluted by anything but natural dirt and silt. It was several dozen feet down before it got too dark to see, even with the water blurring her vision. All of a sudden, a feeling of familiarity hit her. A voice rang in her head.

" _Use your instinct, fight the corruption, save the past from its future, find what you want, what you really belong."_

Kiran quickly pulled her head up from the water, her soaked gold locks whipping back in an arch over her head, flinging copious amounts of water onto the ground behind her. She simultaneously sucked in a huge breath. She backed up a bit from the Nile, but still sat on her knees in front of the blue expanse.

"You're…" Kiran croaked out, her voice a bit strained from the extended time she was without air, "kidding me."

Kiran leaned her head forward, letting her forehead rest on the ground in front of the Nile, soaking it with water. It was so easy to decide where she needed to be when there was only one place she _had_ to be. One kingdom to save. One purpose to serve. No deliberation. There was no _real_ reason to stay, so she'd always end up coming back to the same conclusion- that she needed to go back. Now...she didn't know what to think.

"Kiran." She heard a voice call out to her and wanted to cry. She didn't need this right now.

"Please," Kiran whispered in a voice weaker than she thought could ever come from her mouth, "go away."

"Kiran?" Ramses voice was steady, but she could hear the concern in it. She shook when she heard his footstep coming closer.

"Stop!" Kiran shouted and she heard silence in place of footsteps. "I- I can't- Don't- I can't- you can't!" Kiran gasped out.

' _I can't even look at him right now! I shouldn't be this conflicted.'_ Kiran put her elbows to the ground and brought her hands up to tangle it the back of her wet hair. _'It said that I had to find where I really belong. That could still be back in my time, but-'_

"Everything…" Kiran mumbled and then raised her voice to a shout, "Everything is just piling up and I don't- I don't know what to do anymore!"

Kiran jumped as a hand rested on her shoulder, raising her head and looking up to see Ramses standing up in front of her, his back to the Nile. His dual-colored eyes gazed piercingly into her pure blue ones. She saw that they were concerned and she was sure he saw that hers were conflicted.

The next words out of his mouth swallowed her confliction.

* * *

 **I think this is the longest I've gone without updating on this story. Sorry about that!**

 **Ameny is back. Like you all didn't see that coming. Still, I bet you didn't think Layla would approach him.**

 **Kiran is feeling very conflicted, for good reason. She also finally remembers why she's in Egypt in the first place.**

 **What do you think Ramses will say to her?**

 **Review, please!**


	41. Chapter 40 Decisions, Decisions

Chapter 40 Decisions, Decisions

"I never thought you were so weak." Ramses spoke and Kiran felt her confusion burn up in an angry blaze. Ramses' eyes reflected her now furious ones, but he continued to speak, "I didn't expect you to be the sort to give up the second you have to make a hard choice. Maybe I'd been mistaken. I thought you were a fighter," Ramses' gold and brown eyes seemed to be mocking her at this point, "but are you really just a weak woman?"

Kiran jumped up from her position on the ground, simultaneously batting Ramses' hand from her shoulder. She snarled at him, glaring ferociously at his smug face. Her, weak? She'd show him weak when she beat his ass to the ground! Kiran took a threatening step forward...before stopping.

"You cunning, manipulative, insufferable bastard!" Kiran shouted, an undertone of both exasperation and lasting fury. Kiran threw a fist at his face, but he caught it with the same hand he'd put on her shoulder. "Fight me!" Kiran yelled. "Fight me, you jerk! Fight me!"

She wanted to hit him. Ramses always picked and picked at her weakest points, her insecurities. He picked at them until they bled, all of her emotions dripping out. Raw, suppressed emotions that she never wanted anyone to see, but he drew them out anyway. Kiran cursed herself as she felt tears leak from her eyes, her body shaking with rage. She needed to hit something. Anything.

"Damn it!" Kiran yelled, stomping on the ground. "Damn it!" She put her feet down hard. So hard she could feel the vibrations run through her legs up to her head. "Damn it!" She stomped on the ground like it had done her some terrible, unforgivable wrong. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it all to hell!" She stomped until her legs were so weak she couldn't stand. She felt her legs give out, now all that was holding her up was Ramses' strong grip on her still curled fist. She kept repeating those words like a chant, "Damn it...Damn it...Damn everything!" Kiran gasped out.

Her throat was raw, but she kept repeating those words until nothing more could came out. Even when her legs gave out, she attempted to kick at the ground. Ramses' still held her up. All of a sudden, she felt Ramses tug her toward him. Kiran could only let out a gasp of surprise as he let go of her hand and just as quickly wrapped that same arm around her back to hold her to him.

"I hate you." She gasped out, her voice weak from all the shouting she did. It was a lie and she knew it. A part of her hoped Ramses knew it too, another part wished he took it at face value.

Instead, he replied with, "I love you."

Kiran felt her heart stop for a second as she drew in a sharp breath, her eyes widening even as the only thing in front of them was Ramses' chest. Her heart began to beat again, painfully thudding back to life in her chest as her breaths turned shallower. All of a sudden, indecision fought its way back to the front of her mind.

' _Ramses- he...loves me?'_

"No!" Kiran shouted, her voice coming out severely strained at this point. She pushed hard at his chest and it seemed that Ramses' didn't expect that reaction, because she managed to escape his grip. Her legs were still strained, so she fell to the ground in a kneeling position, putting her head down and refusing to look back up at him. "No! Do-don't _say_ that!"

The shock wasn't as big as she thought it would be, perhaps because she had guessed it was the case, but she didn't want it- no, she couldn't _deal_ with it being true. More than that, if Ramses was in love with her, then a part of her felt that it would be okay...for her to love him, too. No, she couldn't. She couldn't let that be the case. Everything was growing so much more complicated. Where was the easy choice, here?

' _ **Easy choice? Who are you? Taking the easy road. How surprisingly...**_ **weak** _ **of you.'**_

" _I never thought you were so weak."_

' _ **Taking the easy way out of this, weren't you supposed to be a fighter?'**_

" _But are you really just a weak woman?'_

"Fuck you!" Kiran shouted, but she wasn't sure if she was yelling at her conscience or Ramses. Maybe it was both. Maybe it was _herself_ and her stupid indecision.

What did she do? She didn't like feeling this conflicted, but...she didn't like feeling weak, either. She didn't want to take the easy way out, she wanted to take the _right_ way. No matter how much she had to think, how painful it was to think about...it would be the only way to make the right decision. Kiran knew what she had to do.

She stood up on shaky legs, trying and just barely succeeding in not falling over. She stared at the ground for a moment before bringing her eyes up to meet Ramses', but when she did there was no hesitance and no doubt in them. Kiran searched his eyes for a moment, though she wasn't entirely sure what for.

Her own question was answered when she opened her mouth to ask Ramses, "What's the most important trait to you, Ramses?"

The question seemed completely out of place. Kiran suspected even Ramses didn't understand the significance. Kiran hardly understood it herself until he gave his answer.

"Loyalty." He answered. There was no 'I suppose' or question at the end. Ramses was as sure of his answer as she was that her eyes were blue.

 _Loyalty_. The answer caressed her ear and cleared her mind. She had asked him that particular question for a reason and it wasn't so he could influence her. No, it was because above all, Kiran admired Ramses as a leader.

" _That man has the potential to become what I could never be."_

" _I think you'll make a wonderful king."_

" _I prefer to praise the person who built the empire, rather than the one who ruled it."_

 _Loyalty_. The word echoed in her mind. Kiran closed her eyes and let out a breath. She had her answer. From one leader to another potential one, Ramses had given her the answer she needed to make her decision.

"You're right Ramses." Kiran stated, opening her eyes once again. "I'm not that weak. That's why," Kiran gave a grin, unapologetic even though it was slightly pained, "I won't be swayed by your confession."

Ramses stared back at her. There was understanding in his gaze although Kiran could read that underneath that he just wanted to change her mind. She wondered briefly if things were different now that she knew how Ramses felt about her. Fact that she was still leaving aside, did that change their relationship? It should have, shouldn't it? Still, Kiran felt that the answer was actually _no_. Partially, because, deep down, Kiran had known how he'd felt and she she also knew that…

Kiran turned around and when she turned the corner, whispered to herself, "But if it's worth anything, I love you too." Kiran leaned against the wall for a moment with a small, sad smile before walking along again.

* * *

"You're kidding." Layla mumbled in disbelief as she watched the whole scene between Ramses and Kiran go down.

Not only had Kiran thrown the fit of the millennium in her conflicted state to the point where she looked like if Ramses hadn't confessed she'd have pulled out a sword and demanded they duel, but...Ramses _confessed_. Yes, she knew that she already said that, but _come on_! Layla would have been jumping for joy if Ramses- the idiot- hadn't picked the absolute _worst_ possible time to do it!

Really, did he have a tactful bone in his body? If he did it was only useful in battle strategy, apparently. How had Ramses managed to be such a womanizer when he _sucked so badly_ at romance? Did women just overlook his personality once they saw his face? ...Never mind, Layla already knew the answer to that.

Even worse, Layla had managed to catch the gist of what Kiran whispered by reading her lips and she. Was. Floored. Kiran loved Ramses! And she _knew_ it!

"Those fucking stubborn, closed-off, annoying idiots!" Layla shouted. "Why?! Why- why- why do they have to be so stubborn?!"

"Kiran and Ramses again?" A voice spoke up and Layla knew without a doubt that it was Seti.

She whipped around to face him and shouted, "Yes!"

Layla began to pace irritably and mumble about what idiots they were. Basically repeating all of her thoughts on the situation aloud and inadvertently revealing the gist of it to Seti. He stared at her as she continued to rant. Apparently, despite the circumstances, Layla had been just _sure_ Kiran would leap right into Ramses' arms if he confessed.

"That's unrealistic." Seti informed. "Kiran is just as stubborn as he is and we already know she has important obligations." _Unknown_ important obligations, but that didn't change their importance.

"Still!" Layla shouted. "Can't she even give an _inch_?! If she just gave Ramses a _chance-_ "

"Put yourself in her position." Seti advised. "You have other important things to do far away from here. Things that are important enough you would give up almost anything. Would finding out someone loves you change your decision?"

Layla stopped pacing, furrowing her brows as she thought about it for a moment and then questioned, "What _are_ her obligations?" Seti sighed, realizing she'd gotten totally off track.

"That doesn't-"

"That's it!" Layla interrupted. "If we find out what obligations she has elsewhere we can convince her they aren't so important!"

"Kiran is too stubborn for that." Seti deadpanned, giving her an annoyed look. "Were you not listening to anything I just-"

"I'm off, Seti." Layla spoke determinedly.

Seti waited until Layla was out of sight before shaking his head, "You think _her_ of all people would know stubbornness." He sighed fondly and then ran a hand through his hair, "I wonder how Ramses gathered the courage to confess to such a stubborn woman." He mumbled, but it was obvious his thoughts weren't on Kiran.

* * *

 **Oh, the drama!**

 **The moment you've all been waiting for done the way** _ **none**_ **of you wanted it. Sorry, not sorry. It couldn't have worked out any other way at this point in time for them, sadly. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed.**

 **A bit of Layla and Seti fluff there in the end. I feel kind of bad for dragging out potential pairings, though...maybe it's time to get someone together.**

 **Review?**


	42. Chapter 41 The Places We Call Home

Chapter 41 The Places We Call Home

Ramses stared blankly down at the letter in front of him. It was a letter from Neferet, the contents of which revealed little to nothing to him other than the fact that she wanted him to come home. Ramses sighed.

"What's got you sighing?" A feminine voice, which he quickly defined as Kiran's, questioned.

Ramses looked up from the letter to look at her. She was leaning against the doorway, the sweat on her forehead and sword at her hip telling him that she had been practicing before she wandered in. She looked amused and completely at ease...regardless of what had been said a week prior. Ramses resisted the urge to sigh again.

Kiran had so easily brushed off his confession. And though he would like to call it a premature rejection, he didn't think that was the case. She seemed to have clearly aligned her priorities and there were obviously more important things above him.

"My sister _advises_ me to come home." Ramses answered finally.

Kiran gave a small laugh, "Women don't _advise_. Seriously, if she wants you home then you won't hear the end of it if you refuse." Her blue eyes were filled with mirth as she grinned at him. "You've been _summoned_ , Ramses." She teased and then broke into another round of laughs.

Ramses smirked at her, "I thought you would be irritated at the prospect of another long trip, but it seems I was wrong. Glad to see your fine with it."

Kiran abruptly stopped laughing and turned to him with a look of mild horror, " _Another_ trip?" Ramses merely smirked back as her. Kiran groaned. "No. God, not again, Ramses! Can't you leave me behi-"

"Do you recall the outcome of your trial a few months ago?" Was all Ramses had to say before Kiran began to look suitably exhausted for the amount of training she'd been doing that morning.

Kiran sulked silently for a moment before sighing. She looked over at Ramses, who was still watched no her with that infuriating look on his face. She rolled her eyes, but decided against provoking him. Instead, her eyes shifted to the clay tablet in his hands.

"So…" Kiran spoke up and decided to continue with her words when he didn't do anything but raise a brow, "how many sisters do you have?"

"Eleven of them." Ramses informed and Kiran gaped at him.

"Eleven sisters?" Kiran gasped. That was dizzying. She hadn't even considered he'd have so many sisters. Although, it wasn't too huge a surprise when you considered how many children people in this time tended to have. Even Layla had mentioned two younger brothers besides her and her sister, though they'd apparently died very young.

"Yes, and every one of them a royal pain." Ramses commented, but Kiran could sense a certain degree of fondness.

"Siblings…" Kiran mused, "must be nice in a way, to have more people in your family who support each other."

Ramses didn't even hesitate to tell her, "I believe you're idealizing it."

Kiran snorted, "Way to crush my dreams, Ramses." Ramses looked ready to reply when Kiran spoke again, "I know it's idealistic, but even the _possibility_ of it turning out that way is a gift in a way, isn't it?" Kiran couldn't help but stare off as she spoke. "Then again, I suppose I'm only speaking blindly. I never had any siblings."

' _No matter how much I wish.'_

Maybe if she had an older sibling then they'd have prevented Victoria from meddling with her life and taken the reins after her parents died. Maybe if she'd had a younger sibling then _she'd_ have been the one to mature and take the reins, dealing with her problems so she could move on for them. Either way she'd have been better off, but that wasn't the life fate had in mind for her. She didn't mean that in a bitter way, only that things hadn't worked out that way. In the short run it was regrettable, but in the long run…

"I think I've done okay without them, though." Kiran finished, then looked back to Ramses. "Are they all younger? Your sisters?"

Ramses stared at her. A part of Kiran must have known that he felt discomforted talking about personal affairs, but he could see that she needed some of that talk at the moment. He could see the bit of sadness lingering in the corners of her blue eyes and the eagerness in her subdued smile. So, Ramses spoke.

"Nine older. Two younger." Ramses replied and Kiran seemed taken aback for a moment before she grinned.

"Nine older sisters, Ramses?" Kiran finally walked from the doorway to make herself comfortable on a cushion on the floor. "How did you survive?"

"By tolerating many painstaking conversations about clothes and the men they hope to marry." Ramses replied flatly. How else could Kiran have reacted but by bursting into laughter?

As Kiran wiped the corners of her eyes for the tears that had gathered during her laughing fit, she said, "I'm sure they'd be glad to hear how tedious you believed it to be."

"I have a gift for you." Ramses said suddenly and Kiran was dragged out of her amused state.

"A gift?" Kiran questioned as her face fell, "Ramses, I don't-"

She cut herself off when he left the room. Kiran stared after him, mentally questioning the nature of this gift. More than the nature, though, shouldn't she be questioning the implications? Was Ramses giving her this gift as a way of courting her, or was it a harmless gift? If it was because he was trying to court her, did that really make the gift _harmful_? If that was the case, harmful or not, she would have to reject it. Kiran didn't want him to think-

All thoughts fled from her head when Ramses came back into the room with a lion cub in his arms. Kiran was both puzzled and awed. _A lion_. Ramses was giving her _a lion cub_ as a gift. It was _amazing_ in so many ways.

"Most woman would think you're insane for this." Kiran stated breathlessly as he set the _beautiful_ creature down in front of her.

"You're not most women." Ramses replied.

Kiran looked up and their eyes briefly met. For a moment, she would admit, she considered reaching her hands out and drawing him into a kiss. Thankfully, she held herself back. She couldn't stay and she didn't want to lead Ramses on. He deserved better. Those moments where they had just kind of... _fallen together_ , those couldn't happen anymore.

"I love her." Kiran whispered, looking back down at the lion cub who sat at in front of her crossed legs, staring up at her with very similar colored eyes. "I guess I'll call you...Grace."

"Is there any meaning to that name?" Ramses questioned.

Kiran laughed, "One I don't think you could understand."

Grace O'Malley. The pirate queen. The legendary Irish noblewoman who preferred the sea to any palace. Just because Kiran had been reluctant to rule her small piece in Ireland, didn't mean she didn't know its history.

* * *

Layla had been waiting outside Kiran's room since early morning and it was getting _boring_. Maybe if she'd known Kiran was training, she'd have chosen her time more carefully. Still…

"Why the _hell_ didn't Seti tell me he was training her today?!" Layla hissed out as she let herself slump down to a sitting position on the ground.

He had even seen her when she was on her way to Kiran's room. She had _told_ him what she was doing. Yet, that- that bastard had just stoically wished her luck and walked away. To think that she was actually crushing on him!

"Damn Seti. Didn't even have the courtesy to _tell_ me!" Layla muttered angrily to herself as she paced.

"Oh, what'd he do to piss you off this time?" Kiran questioned.

"He-" Layla's jaw shut audibly as she turned to face Kiran, who looked like she was struggling to smother a smile. "Kiran!"

"Yes?" Kiran raised a brow at her, still biting her lip to keep it from lifting into a grin.

Layla straightened her posture and spoke seriously, "I have things to ask you."

Kiran looked more curious, but still entirely amused as she asked, "About what?"

"About your home." Layla answered. Kiran's expression sobered immediately, but she said nothing and so Layla took that as her cue to ask, "How old is your cousin?"

Kiran relaxed slightly at the surprisingly normal question, but still answered with caution, "which one?"

Layla's mouth quirked into a dry smile, "The one you need to go back for."

Kiran tensed up once again, clenching her fists for a moment. She considered her answer. Did she lie to Layla, tell her that her cousin was a young age where he would be dependent on her? Or, did she tell her the truth; that her cousin wasn't even _born yet_? Kiran unclenched her fists and looked straight at Layla, who was anxiously awaiting her answer. Layla had always been honest with her. Even when they had first met and Kiran was a perfect stranger to her. Even when, in that case, Layla could have been punished harshly for the way she was speaking. Layla had never hidden her intentions from Kiran...so didn't Kiran owe her the same?

"He-" Kiran swallowed, closing her eyes for an extended blink before opening them and resisting the urge to look away, staring into Layla's anxious brown eyes as she answered, "He hadn't been born yet when I left." There was a momentary pause before Layla spoke.

"That's great!" Layla said happily and Kiran blinked at her. "Kiran, I know you didn't have that much before, so you idealized the family you had left, but-"

"Whoa." Kiran held up her hands, "Stop." Kiran cut her off with a carefully blank look, "Layla, stop."

"Kiran, you've got to understand. You didn't have much where you came from, right?" Layla grabbed Kiran's raised hands in hers. "Here, you have me, and Seti, and Ramses. You think of me like a daughter, right? I know you're close to Seti, too. And Ramses, you love him-"

Kiran jerked her hands out of Layla's grasp and gave her a slightly pained expression, "Stop. Layla. I'm serious, stop."

Layla's happy expression died and in its place were teary eyes and a tightened mouth, "Why?"

"It's more than just my cousin, Layla." Kiran answered.

"Then, what?!" Layla snapped. Kiran didn't answer and after another moment waiting for any response, Layla gave her a hurt look and stormed off.

"That was harsh." Another voice spoke and Kiran turned to face Seti.

"What would you have suggested?" Kiran questioned.

Seti shrugged, "Nothing different. Harsh was necessary in this case." Then, after that short comment, he turned to walk away.

"Seti." Kiran called out and Seti stopped. "Look after her when I'm gone, will you?" Seti gave a small nod before walking away. Once he was gone, Kiran sighed to herself, "And to think that the day started off so well."

* * *

 **Extra- Scene on a Dock**

"You seem upset." A voice interrupted Layla as she sat on the dock, sulking. She looked up to see Ameny standing above her. "May I inquire as to why?"

Layla rolled her eyes, "May I ask you to cut the shit, _lord_ Ameny?" Layla drawled, "Like I could stop you from inquiring if you want to know."

Ameny smirked as he sat on the dock next to her, "Why are you upset?"

Layla turned to him and tilted her head mockingly as she questioned, "Why do you care?"

Ameny turned to stare off into the water as his smirk morphed into a warm smile. Layla blinked at the change, surprised that Ameny could even make such an expression. Sure, she hadn't known him for that long, but still.

"I have a soft spot for young girls out of their element." Ameny answered.

Layla clicked her tongue at him, "It's annoying when people say things like they aren't speaking about someone in particular."

"Yes, well," Ameny stated blandly, "she's nothing like you, anyways."

"She, w-"

"Nevermind that." Ameny dismissed. "I did ask you why you seem upset."

"So?" Layla questioned.

"So, are you going to tell me?" Ameny questioned.

Layla looked over to him and bluntly stated, "No." Layla smirked. "However, I will tell you that I've found out why you aren't going to tattle on Ramses."

"Oh?" Ameny raised a brow in interest. "Care to share?"

Layla smiled at him, but it was insincere, "You're just another bored rich brat whose world has turned dull, despite all you have, trying desperately to hold on to anything interesting." Ameny's brow dropped and he stared at her blankly, not responding. Layla stood and then turned away from him, giving a brief look over her shoulder to say, "You nobles are all the same."

Then, Layla walked away, leaving Ameny sitting on the dock, staring blankly at her back as she disappeared back into Ramses' estate. He shrugged as he looked back at the waters of the Nile.

"She's not wrong." Ameny admitted aloud. "Most things are terribly dull without Malya."

* * *

 **I know what you're thinking: 'Really, Jace, another pairing? Haven't you done enough with the romantic drama?'**

 **The answer is no.**

 **I also know what else you're thinking: 'Did you really not update for an entire month and a half?'**

 **That answer is yes. I make no excuses, I'm sorry I took so long to get this chapter up. But on the bright side, you'll get to see things become more interesting next chapter...which I promise won't take as long to upload.**

 **Please Review!**


	43. Chapter 42 Life's Roadblocks

Chapter 42 Life's Roadblocks

Ramses cursed colorfully as their horses were blocked by yet another caravan. Kiran eyed him with amusement.

"Careful, _lord_ Ramses." Kiran stated in mock-offense. "That's hardly something to say when there are ladies present."

"Ladies?" Ramses drawled, smirking. "All I see is an annoying woman and a rude girl."

Kiran bared her teeth at him in a threatening gesture, although 'annoying woman' was more of a pet name than an insult now. Layla, however, just grunted in annoyance. She was still stubbornly not talking to anyone, because of her and Kiran's fight. In fact, she hadn't said a single word for the entire eight or so hours they had been travelling and it was beginning to feel unnerving.

"Why didn't we just take a boat, anyway?" Kiran questioned, adjusting the scarf over her head. Ramses had insisted she wear it to 'keep her safe from the sun', which was really just bullshit for 'we're obviously trying to travel covertly and your hair is like fire when the sun catches it'.

Ramses didn't reply. Kiran scowled at him and Grace hissed from her position in the satchel at her side. Kiran's scowl turned into a smile as Ramses shot the lion cub an annoyed look. The fact that _Ramses_ was the reason she even _had_ the lion cub only made it all the more amusing.

"General Ramses." Seti spoke up from behind them, causing both the general and Kiran to turn and look at him.

Layla, who was beside him on her own horse- a horse she told Kiran she had named Amaira (when she _was_ still talking to her)- stubbornly looked to the side so their eyes wouldn't meet. Kiran stared blankly at her for a moment, but her chest hurt slightly. Maybe she _should_ tell Layla? If she did, Layla would know what she needed to get back and she would let her go. She would understand.

No she wouldn't.

Kiran sighed and resisted running her hands through her hair- it was staying covered for a reason, after all.

"Yes, Seti." Ramses replied, permitting Seti to speak.

"Maybe the best course of action would be to tag along with a caravan, seeing as they seem to be getting somewhere while we are...stuck."

"I think you mean hopelessly, helplessly, infuriatingly immobile." Layla scoffed, having turned to face Seti with a smirk. When Kiran let out a small laugh at her comment, Layla only angled her body further towards Seti and away from her. "At least it's a plan that will get us somewhere." Layla then turned towards Ramses, but the fact that Kiran was right next to him and Layla couldn't even spare her a glance made Kiran frown. "Right, General Ramses?"

Ramses flicked his gaze over to Kiran, as if sensing- or just _common_ sense-ing- the fact that there was a problem between her and Layla. Although, it seemed he decided not to mention it, because he just looked over to Seti and said, "I agree."

* * *

Tagging along with a caravan turned out to be strangely easy. Of course, it was mostly due to the fact that it was Ramses who asked. Seriously, Kiran was able to see how he could become pharaoh even without help from the current one. Something about the charisma and devotion to Egypt itself just seemed to inspire.

' _Could I ever be like that?'_

Kiran would be lucky if she could ever be _half_ as good a leader as Ramses, as much as she hated to admit it and would _never_ considering saying it aloud.

Of course, there was one big downfall to Seti's brilliant idea. Not a practical downfall, but rather a personal one. Not for Ramses, but for Kiran, who was stuck next to Layla as Seti and Ramses socialized and the girls were ignored- so long as Kiran remembered to keep her eyes fixed down to avoid anyone commenting on their strange color.

Kiran glanced over at Layla, who immediately tilted her head in the other direction to hide any sliver of eye that Kiran could possibly see. Kiran sighed in return. It was going to be a serious problem if Layla couldn't even stand seeing Kiran in her peripheral.

After a moment of soaking in her irritation, Kiran found herself speaking. "What the hell do I have to do to get you to stop treating me like an eyesore?"

Layla turned to face her and Kiran flinched back at the expression on the younger girl's face. Her lips were tight with irritation, her eyebrows scrunched in anger, and her brown eyes...betrayal. "Why?"

Kiran opened her mouth to speak thoughtlessly, once again...then stopped. She looked at Layla's expression and mentally cringed in guilt, even as none of it showed on her face.

The very reason that she was so rude with Layla before was so the girl could learn to let her go. Yet, here Kiran found herself thoughtlessly working to solve the issue- in her defense, she hadn't imagined to be completely cut off, but still. Giving Layla false hope by trying to reconnect with her could only make it harder on Layla when she left. It would be selfish of her to do that, because Kiran knew it would just be her trying to solve her own guilt.

' _I have to say something to sever her hopes.'_

Kiran felt her chest ache as she saw Layla's expression softening slightly with expectation.

' _ **She's going to hate you and she's going to be hurt.'**_

Kiran clenched her teeth.

' _I can take it.'_

Kiran sucked in a breath in preparation for what she was about to say, putting up a cold front, "You-" A hand landed on her shoulder, snapping Kiran out of her sentence as she turned to view the person.

Seti's hazel eyes met her own blue ones with an intense anger and another equally intense emotion that took her a moment to define as protectiveness. Kiran was genuinely shocked. His grip on her shoulder was bordering on painful and the amount of anger in his eyes fell just short of threatening.

The message was clear, but it was only emphasized when he spoke, low but sharp, " _Watch what you say."_

Just after his last word, Seti once again returned to Ramses' side. Ramses' sharp, but contemplative look showed that he had seen the entire interaction and was also not entirely pleased. Still, it seemed that Seti showed no remorse for being the cause of that displeasure, which struck Kiran as odd, considering how much he admired the general.

Kiran looked back over to Layla, who had already turned away from her again, and sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time that day.

Still, as she shifted her gaze between Seti and Layla, she felt a sense that there was something she was missing.

* * *

As they settled down for the night- at an inn, not outside, thankfully- Layla walked over to Seti and promptly punched him in the back.

"Geh!" Seti let out a noise, having been unprepared for the sudden assault. When he turned around, he glared down at her in displeasure. "What are you doing?"

Layla looked up at him, straight in the eyes so she could watch for his reaction as she questioned, "What did you say to Kiran?"

Since it was Seti, the response wasn't very noticeable. Still, it was there. There, in his eyes, was a glimmer of protectiveness. Protectiveness, meaning that he thought the answer to that question was something he thought he had to protect her from. Meaning, of course, that whatever Kiran was going to say had to be something that would make her more than irritated or mad, but seriously upset.

Layla thought back to the way Kiran had looked before she was interrupted by Seti.

" _You-"_

Clenched teeth.

" _You-"_

Tense.

" _You-"_

With underlying remorse.

" _You-"_

Layla suddenly remembered what she said to Kiran before she had shut her down, when she was trying to convince her to stay.

" _You think of me like a daughter, right?"_

Layla's brown eyes widened as the protectiveness in Seti's hazel ones began to make sense and all the pieces came together.

" _You aren't my daughter or my family, so please stop acting like it."_

"...Oh."

For perhaps the first time in her life since she was young, Layla's voice sounded small a weak.

"O-oh."

For perhaps the first time in her life, Layla let her eyes drop to the ground, no longer able to look Seti in the eyes as she filled in the cracks and made sense of the situation.

"I…see" Layla smiled painfully- she knew it must have looked fake.

She thought she was stronger than this. To be broken down by something as small as words- ones that weren't even spoken, no less. She felt really pathetic. And weak. And desperate. It was incredible in the worst way possible.

Layla had spent ther life dealing with disappointments and heartbreak, so she should be used to it. Her dad died. Then her mother and sister became prostitutes. Then her brothers and mother died within a year of each other. Then, after some stroke of luck her and her sister became maids for a wealthy lord. Of course, she only thought it was lucky until that same lord killed her sister.

Come to think of it, maybe that was why it hurt so much this time around. Finally, it seemed everything was looking up. With Nebet, and Seti, working for Ramses- though she still believed he was a jerk- and finding a familial connection again with Kiran. Yet…

Layla let a curse fly from her mouth as her vision blurred and a warm tear made it's path down her cheek. She tried to tuck her head down so Seti wouldn't see it, but she felt her chin being grabbed.

"Wha-" Layla began in a voice that struggled through her sadness to be irritated...but it was cut off when lips pressed to hers, muffling her words.

Seti's lips to be exact. Seti's warm, soft lips that seemed to fit perfectly against her own. She tried to draw up from her mind if that had been the same with previous cases, but the soft, perfect lips against her own proved to be kind of distracting.

Seti didn't go in for tongue action, even though Layla knew her mouth had been open, since he cut her off mid-sentence, and still was, since she had been too shocked to close it. No, he just pressed his lips over hers, softly, like a reassurance. Layla didn't close her eyes, or kiss him back, or- as she had mentioned, even close her mouth. She was too shocked to do anything.

It wasn't that it had been the first time she'd been kissed- far, far from it- or that it was the first time she had been _surprised_ with a kiss- she had experienced that and was usually quick to reciprocate or push the person off. It was just...this was _Seti._

When Seti finally pulled away, he only backed off enough for a few inches to hover between their faces, his clear eyes meeting her utterly shocked ones. It was in that moment that Layla said, "I think I love you."

Now it was Seti's turn to look shocked, in the clearest show of emotion that she had even seen from him. Meanwhile, Layla sucked in a breath and quickly dashed away.

* * *

 **I would totally add an extra, but I feel it would ruin the huge pile of confession and kiss I just dumped in all of your laps.**

 **Oh, and** _ **yes,**_ **Kiran was going to say that. You can hate her for it, because it's a horrible thing to do, but she felt it was necessary. It was still a good thing Seti set her straight.**

 **Satisfied with your dose of Layla and Seti?**

 **Please Review.**


	44. Chapter 43 Unforeseen Setbacks

Chapter 43 Unforeseen Setbacks

Kiran was greeted with lips...pressed to her own...very nice lips attached to a very sexy man who shouldn't be kissing her. Normally Kiran would have shot up, but after a moment of consideration she fixed her hands on his chest and shoved him away instead.

"What the _hell,_ Ramses?" She grumbled as her face filled up with heat.

"I was waking you up." He answered casually, standing straight as she got out of bed- wearing night clothes, thankfully.

Kiran shot him a glare and hissed out, "I think I preferred the cold shower!"

Ramses raised a brow as he allowed a smirk onto his face. "Even the transparent clothing?"

Kiran shook with irritation and pointed to the door with a scowl. "Get. Out."

Ramses did as she said, but made sure to inform her that she had to be ready in a few minutes so they could leave with the caravan.

Kiran watched him walk out before changing. She hated long dresses and headscarves both, but she at least had to praise egypt for its light material- forgetting the inconvenience of it turning transparent underwater. At least she could kind of move in the dress, though it was still impractical. Although, in this case necessary if they were going to avoid attention being drawn to her.

Kiran briefly let her hand wander to her lips as she prepared to leave.

She was by no means oblivious. Kiran knew what it meant for Ramses to say he loved her and she wouldn't minimize it by pretending he was only confused or in the moment. That was also why she knew that kiss was more than just a way to wake her up.

Just a subtle declaration from Ramses that he wasn't giving up on pursuing her.

Kiran sighed as she walked out of the room, keeping her eyes fixed low to avoid anyone commenting on their odd color. Of course, that didn't exactly go according to plan. At all. The second a hand latched onto her wrist, Kiran looked back at the person...straight in the eyes.

The man's lips were parted, but whatever words he had been about to ask died the moment her eyes caught his. He stayed frozen, his brown eyes locked on her sea blue ones in shock. Then, his eyes wandered to her hair and as they started drifting down…

"Excuse me." Kiran spoke coldly as she yanked her wrist out of the stranger's grasp.

Kiran only spared him a quick glance before walking off in the direction of the entrance, where Ramses, Layla, Seti, and the caravan were waiting.

The man hadn't been particularly striking. Handsome, maybe, and with more scars than she could count in her quick glance. Other than that, his eyes and hair were both brown. His skin was the egyptian standard. His clothes were also nothing special. She didn't see if he had a sword, but the scars did speak to soldier.

"And now I'm thinking about him." Kiran grumbled to herself.

Of course, that short meeting was thrown to the back of her mind when Kiran came outside to see Layla very carefully avoiding Seti while all said man seemed to want to do was approach her. Meanwhile, Ramses looked so amused, Kiran would think he'd caught the both of them having-

"You two didn't sleep together, did you?" Kiran found herself asking.

The collectively embarrassed reactions of both the proud Layla and calm Seti had Kiran in shock. As she opened her mouth to get confirmation, Layla stopped her.

"No!" Layla squeaked out. "Nothing of the sort! No way!"

Ramses' lips twitched while Seti shot her a 'do you really have to deny it so bluntly?' look and Kiran just stood without any real idea what to do.

On one hand, it was good that Layla didn't seem all that concerned with ignoring her. On the other hand, the way she was avoiding Seti made Kiran suspicious. If they hadn't had sex, what else could make Layla so embarrassed?

"I won't ask." Kiran assured, although it was obvious she wanted to. Could you blame her? She was curious.

"Best not to meddle in their affairs." Ramses agreed, although he smirked like he knew something she didn't.

Kiran eyed him suspiciously. "...Right."

* * *

Kiran really should have known their trip wouldn't be so easy. It seemed like _nothing_ was easy in this time and while having to join a caravan had been a setback, bandits were more than that.

"Stay back!" One of the men in the caravan warned her and Layla as they were surrounded by a group of maybe a dozen men with swords.

Layla tugged on Amaira's reins and stepped back a few paces, albeit with some indignance at the idea of being protected by anyone. Unfortunately, while fiery-tempered, Layla wasn't exactly adept at fighting.

Kiran, however, lept off her horse with a grin, the chestnut steed standing steadily beside her while he seemed to glare at the bandits. Kiran pulled her sword and ripped the side of her dress to gain some mobility, more than happy to join in on the fight. A dozen blood-thirsty bandits was exactly what she needed to relieve some stress...it was Ramses' fault for trying to keep her away from danger- that was where all the fun was at.

Kiran broke through the line of men from the caravan blocking her and Layla off from the fight and caught a bandit's sword against her own with a _clank_ and a few sparks at the impact.

"What do you think you're doing, girly?" The man questioned with an amused grin and Kiran narrowed her eyes as her own grin stayed plastered to her face.

"Kicking your ass."

Kiran brought her knee up to the man's stomach while he was distracted. She quickly disarmed him while he was doubled over, catching his sword and throwing it in some random direction far enough away from the fight that it couldn't be used against her.

"That was a dirty trick." The man grunted.

"I'm just not a clean fighter!" Kiran stated simply as she quickly spun around him and brought her elbow down on the back of his neck, effectively knocking him out.

A sharp pain in her side had Kiran jumping away and quickly spinning around to see another bandit.

' _ **Getting rusty?'**_

' _Not in the slightest.'_

Thankfully, the sword had only nicked her side and Kiran was able to ignore the shallow cut as the met the masked bandit's eyes with a glare and an ever-widening grin.

"Make my day." She stated and quickly raised her sword as the bandit's crashed down.

"I'm not afraid to fight a woman." He stated.

Kiran only grinned back, moving one of her hands to press up on her blade and knock his off. "Good." Kiran kicked out at the bandit's knee, only to have him nimbly dodge her attempt. Kiran let a laugh bubble up past her lips. "Oh, this is fun."

"Crazy woman." The bandit stated flatly as he raised his sword.

Kiran blinked and then smiled, "'Crazy' is a first, actually."

Kiran struck out with her blade, mildly surprised when the man in front of her merely circled his around and pushed it to the side. Kiran barely managed to keep her grip on it and narrowly dodged a jab from the bandit by tucking to the side. She quickly stood and brought her sword back up to meet another blow from the man.

Kiran whistled, impressed. "You're good!" She complimented, managing to push hard enough to shift their swords to the side. "Mind taking off that mask so we can fight face to face?" Kiran questioned as she spun into the stranger's chest, her sword making a scraping sound as it slid along his own blade. He turned out of the way before she could elbow him in the stomach, but not quick enough to avoid being tripped by the foot she stuck out.

Kiran jabbed forward and managed to barely nick the bandit's arm as he rolled out of the way.

Kiran smirked, "Now we're even."

"Mind telling me where you're from, woman?" He questioned, his brown gaze pointedly meeting her blue eyes.

For a second, Kiran was struck with the familiarity. She was barely able to dodge the sword as it swung out towards her head, brushing against her hair.

Wait.

Kiran's eyes widened as the headscarf she had been wearing fell silently to the ground and a wisp of golden hair made it's way into her face as her braid fell down against her back, exposed.

Kiran's eyes turned to meet Ramses' from farther away. She could see the frustration in his gaze as he fought off another bandit from his position.

Of course, Kiran had to tear her gaze away as a glint of metal caught in the corner of her eye and Kiran was barely able to block the sword merely inches away from her face.

"Shit!" Kiran glared. "Why do you keep aiming for my head, damn it?!"

"Maybe because it distracts you." He answered and Kiran's eyes widened as his foot hooked behind hers and she fell backwards.

Her surprise grew when the bandit disarmed her and then...caught her by the waist. "What are you-" Kiran was cut off when the man yanked down his mask, shocked by the reveal of a face she had seen for the first time just this morning. Then, she flinched as he let out a high-pitched whistle the was quickly accompanied by the sound of hooves.

Kiran whipped her head to the side and watched as a light tan steed rushed towards them. Kiran was about to swing to the side to dodge when the man tightened his grip on her. As the horse approached them, he lifted her off the ground and reached out, securely gripping the horse's mane and hoisting them both up.

Kiran once again met Ramses' shocked and angry gaze as it grew further and further away from her. Kiran was almost too shocked to speak. Almost.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Kiran snapped, jerking harshly in the bandit's grasp.

He cursed as he gripped her tighter. "Do you want to fall off this horse?!"

"If it gets me away from you!"

"I never thought a goddess would be this much trouble." He muttered, gripping Kiran even tighter until she fliched.

"Hey! Don't man-handle me!"

Brown eyes met blue flatly. "I expected a proper royal bitch, sheltered and tame. Instead…" He smirked briefly, "Well, you're just a little lioness, aren't you?"

"So I've been told." Kiran drawled before her eyes sharpened. "What do you want with me?"

"It's not what _I_ want with you that you should be worrying about." The man answered cryptically.

* * *

 **And Kiran is kidnapped. We all knew it would happen eventually, but she wasn't about to go without a fight. Ramses is going to be especially frustrated.**

 **Review?**


	45. Chapter 44 To Be Coveted

Chapter 44 To be Coveted

Seti watched as Ramses stood, glaring ahead, gaze calculating with underlying anger that just barely remained contained. His irritation wasn't only for the fact that Kiran was taken, but not knowing _why_ she was taken and not having anticipated it.

"It was a random bandit attack." Seti stated.

"Or so it seemed." Ramses responded, turning to him with frustration in his gaze. "It was too well timed. The caravan was passing through a less populated area when we were attacked. Usually that wouldn't be so strange, as bandits tend to occupy those areas regardless, but that particular area is not always so barren."

"Travelling markets set up shop there. Lots of hired guards and wandering soldiers." Seti agreed, understanding what his general was saying. "They would not usually risk going to such an area."

"Still," Ramses continued, "there's a very limited time frame for that area to remain empty. They must have been tracking us from the beginning."

"Why target Kiran?" Seti question, genuinely confused at that particular turn of events.

"Because she is a goddess." Ramses grimaced. "At least, in the eyes of the Egyptian people."

Seti shot him a look of confusion. "I don't see why-"

"Rumors." Ramses stated. "Not only of her strange features and of her washing up out of the Nile. Rumors have spread about her killing Ames." Ramses shot Seti a meaningful glance. "We weren't the only ones who called him a 'snake'."

Seti felt his lips twitch sardonically. "Like in the legend. Ames proved himself to be an enemy of Egypt, just as Apep was the enemy of Ra. Kiran slayed Egypt's enemy, just as Bastet killed Apep. How...oddly appropriate."

"How ridiculous." Ramses corrected. "Not only that, but the fact that I have been keeping her so close to my side…"

"Many already know you want the throne and having Kiran stay by you seems rather like-"

"I'm keeping a goddess' favor." Ramses finished. "Yes."

"So," Both Seti and Ramses turned to face the owner of the new voice. Layla ignored Ramses' irritation at her presence and continued, "it's entirely possible that this person may also want to be Pharaoh."

Seti looked to Ramses fro permission to speak and Ramses nodded. Seti looked back to Layla and gave a nod. "Yes. Having the favor of a goddess, even an alleged one, would tip the scale in a noble's favor. The line of succession is...flexible, since Horemheb has no children as of yet."

"Or probably ever." Ramses stated. "There are some I know who are grasping for the throne." Layla's, "Like you?" was ignored. "Specifically some distant cousins of the previous pharaoh and some more greedy nobles."

"Once again, like you?" Layla taunted.

Ramses stared back at her flatly, "Your snarkiness is just depressing when I know it's stemming from worry."

Layla seemed to deflate a it as she pursed her lips and glared off to the side. Seti gave her a slightly concerned look before turning back to Ramses.

"Should I send word to lady Neferet that we will be arriving much later than expected?"

Ramses let a smirk touch his lips. "No." Ramses walked on and hopped on his horse, shortly followed by Seti and Layla. "Let's put my sister's spying abilities to good use."

* * *

"I take offense to this treatment!" Kiran yelped as she was swung over the stranger's shoulder.

The man laughed and Kiran grunted indignantly at his amusement. "I guess you are a bit of a royal bitch after all."

Kiran felt annoyance bubble up in her chest. It was like meeting Ramses all over again. This bandit was absolutely infuriating. To make it worse, she was kidnapped and being held like some damsel in distress. If she had her sword or her horse she could escape, but as it was, she just wasn't physically strong enough to fight and flee from the seemingly well-seasoned fighter holding her hostage.

Even worse, away from Ramses' commanding and stuck up presence Kiran was beginning to realize that she acted like more of a royal than she thought. Stupid grandparents and aunt and their stupid lessons.

"Let go of-" Kiran yelped as she was abruptly dropped onto the ground.

Kiran struggled as he began to bind her hands, lashing out and catching him in the face with her nails, leaving three shallow scrapes just barely bleeding. Kiran smirked at him, but cringed when he tightly grasped her hands and tied them. She felt her skin chafe uncomfortably against the tightly-tied rope.

"I am curious…" The man began and Kiran eyed him half-curiously, half-hatefully.

"...What?" Kiran grumbled as she tried pulling her hands through the rope, but lessened her efforts when her discomfort only grew.

"Where did you learn to fight?"

Kiran shifted her eyes from the rope up to him and raised a brow. "Why should I tell you?"

The man smirked, "If you indulge me, I won't bind your feet."

Kiran eyed her feet. With her hands bound, escape would be hard, but not _impossible_. Her feet, however...Kiran glanced back up at the stranger and glared stonily. She so badly wanted to say, 'screw you' and refuse him any piece of information, no matter how small and insignificant. If he had been asking her about Ramses, she probably would have, but this was just a bit of meaningless information about _her_.

"A soldier." Kiran answered vaguely. Seti, one of Ramses' soldiers, but that was left unsaid. Kiran didn't know if there might be some repercussions for that tidbit of information, but she wasn't keen to find out.

He eyed her a minute before sighing. "Not what I meant." He gestured to his arm. "You fight dirty. No soldier would teach you that. Besides, your movements speak more of hand-to-hand."

Kiran eyed him for a moment before grinning. "I knew you were good."

Kiran stared at him for a moment before abruptly bringing her head to smash into his. He hissed out in pain before grabbing Kiran's braid and yanking her head back. Kiran yelped out in pain, but glared up and kicked out. The man stopped her leg by pressing his knee on top of it, bringing his other hand not occupied with tugging back on her braid to hold down her other leg before she could lash out.

"Ow!" Kiran yelped. "Stop pulling my hair dammit!"

"You're more trouble than you're worth!"

"Then let me go!"

Kiran placed the palms of her tied hands flat against the man's chest and tried to push, but the minimal force did nothing but irritate him.

"You stubborn woman." He glared.

"You'd be stubborn too, if you were being _kidnapped_!"

Suddenly, his brown eyes sparked with something strange and Kiran paused, eyeing him curiously.

"...What?" Kiran questioned, hesitantly.

"Where are you from?" He question, oddly serious.

"... _Huh_?"

"I don't believe you're a goddess, but I've never seen a woman act so wild and yet so oddly...royal." His eyes flashed. "Who are you?"

Kiran stared at him for a moment before letting out a short laugh and shrugging. "I wonder myself sometimes."

For a moment, silence reigned between them, The man eyed her curiously while Kiran stared up at him with some sort of confused anticipation before sighing.

"So, what's your name, kidnapper?" Kiran questioned in a flat tone, but her eyes showed a spark of curiosity.

"Why?" The man drawled. "Does it really matter?"

"I just thought I should know," Kiran flashed a grin, "before I escape."

He scoffed, unpinning Kiran's legs and releasing her hair. "You don't have a chance." He looked over at her expectant face and sighed. "Idres. My name is Idres."

Kiran smiled and stared at him for a moment before speaking, "Well...goodbye Idres." She just couldn't resist.

Idres eyed Kiran in shock as she pulled out a small dagger- _his_ dagger- and pointed it inwards to slice up through her ropes, cringing briefly as the feeling of the ropes scraping as they were tugged by the slightly blunt edge and then cut through.

How did she get his dagger? Kiran saw the silent question underneath Idres' shock and smirked, tauntingly pointing to her forehead before standing and dashing off. Idres groaned as he remembered the moment she had headbutted him and her tied hands were out of his sight- apparently at his side, unsheathing his dagger to use against him.

Idres glared before grinning, raising his fingers to his mouth...and whistling.

Kiran cursed as she briefly glanced back, catching sight of Idres mounting his horse and dashing after her. It didn't take long before Kiran heard hooves behind her.

"As amusing as this is-" Kiran dodged Idres' attempt to grab her and turned to the side instead, spotting a small collection of houses only about a hundred wards away.

"Amusing to-" Kiran shouted as a rope caught her ankle and she fell forward, groaning at the impact.

She looked up as the harsh sun was blocked by a large shadow. "Did you really think it would be that easy?" Idres mocked and Kiran stared blankly at where he looked down at her from on his tan steed.

"Honestly?" Kiran questioned, grinning even as the pain of falling and newly reopened cut on her side ached. "Yes, I did."

Kiran's grin dimmed as she was once again pulled up onto his horse, struggling as he tied her wrists _and_ feet, gripping her tightly so she wouldn't fall.

"Adjust your expectations, then."

* * *

"Girls in our position…" A woman trailed off.

Her skin was egyptian, but her hair was as light and bright and yellow as the sun itself- although, much safer to look at. Cat like golden orbs fell heavy with sadness. She petted a small brown cat at her side, many other cats of varying shades lay at her feet, all looking up at her in sympathy, offering their comfort in the form of purrs and rubbing their silky fur against her.

The woman smiled at all of them before looking up, her eyes catching the great golden statue of a lioness and the girl praying at its feet. She sighed sadly as she ran her fingers over the lion pendant hanging around her neck.

"'To be coveted' seems to be synonymous with 'to be used', doesn't it?" She looked over to a lioness with a light coat and golden eyes as she sat down at her side, giving a small growl in seeming confirmation to her statement. "Ramses...I hope he can love her," She smiled amusedly, "and I hope Kiran lets him." She turned to the lionness and scratched under her chin. "One of us should find happiness, don't you think?"

The lioness seemed to purr in agreement, but that could have just been that she was enjoying the woman's affections.

"I can't do anything for her." The woman stated sadly, but then her eyes brightened and she smiled. "Still, you always were good at saving yourself, weren't you?"

"Kitre!" A voice shouted and the woman looked up. "You presence is requested."

Kitre's face fell again before she plastered a smile on her face and stood. "Of course."

She walked through the temple with grace, watched lovingly by all the temple cats. Her back stayed straight, even though it was one of those times that seemed like she had the weight of all Egypt on her shoulders.

"Good luck, Kiran." She whispered.

* * *

 **So... Ramses, Seti and Layla have the theorizing about conspiracies thing down pat. And poor Kiran and Kitre both.**

 **Anyone having trouble identifying Kitre? What are your opinions on Idres?**

 **Review, please!**


	46. Chapter 45 Know Thy Enemy

Chapter 45 Know Thy Enemy

"User!" Neferet shouted from him from the entrance to his residence. She looked behind him and smiled, jutting her hip out and she placed a hand on the other. "Seti, I haven't seen you in a while."

"Lady Neferet." Seti bowed politely.

"You're still so proper!" Neferet complained and then her eyes caught on Layla. "Oh? Who's this?"

Layla looked over to Ramses with a questioning gaze. When he gave her no sign, she merely turned back to Neferet with a grin, all her teeth on display. "Layla. I'm absolutely no one important."

Neferet eyed her curiously before turning to Ramses. "I thought you'd be bringing a woman home, brother User! Where's this rumored goddess?" Neferet tilted her head to glance around Layla and seemed disappointed when she saw no one else. "I was looking forward to seeing the woman that caught your interest all these years after _Yuri_ …"

"Kidnapped." Ramses said simply.

Neferet blinked in disbelief. "...Kidnapped?"

"By bandits...or _a_ bandit." Layla supplied.

Neferet raised a brow at Ramses. "You let your goddess be kidnapped by a single bandit, Ramses?"

"He didn't exactly have a choice." Seti defended and Nebet turned to him in question.

"She was fighting him- the bandit." Layla grinned at the surprised look that overtook Neferet's features. "He tripped her and ran off with her on his horse while we were all still occupied with the rest."

Ramses gave her a look that said, 'but you didn't really do anything' and Layla stuck her tongue out at him in return, causing Nebet to blink once more.

"You really know how to pick them, brother User." Neferet stated, the shock still evident on her face.

* * *

"I'm bored." Kiran stated and she shifted uncomfortably, the cut at her side still burning slightly.

"So?" Idres questioned, looking down at ther briefly with a unconcerned expression.

"Tell me something about yourself." Kiran ordered as she checked her binds. They were tight. She couldn't imagine getting out of them without another knife and Idres had moved them from his person into a sack on the opposite side from her. Damn.

Idres eyed her, unimpressed. "Hard to believe you're really interested when you're checking for a way to escape."

Kiran looked up and stuck her tongue out at him. Idres smirked and she sighed. "Alright, fine. Answer me a question and you can ask one of your own." As Idres was about to speak, Kiran cut him off, "Only personal questions."

"Oh?" He raised a brow at her. "What makes you think I'd be interested?"

"You were _earlier_." Kiran stated and when Idres didn't respond, she spoke up again. "Alright. I just thought it must be boring babysitting me for- who, again?" Idres gave her another flat look. "...Right. Well, this could pass us some time and, by my own rules, I'm not allowed to ask who you kidnapped me for."

Idres gave her a long stare that almost made Kiran want to shift uncomfortably. Almost. "...Fine."

"Great!" Kiran cheered, finding she was much more excited than she probably should have been. "So, why kidnap me?"

"You said personal." Idres sighed.

"It is." Kiran stated, raising a challenging brow. "If you're kidnapping me for someone else, then you obviously must be getting something out of it. Or is it just loyalty?" The annoyance that flickered across Idres' face in response told her that wasn't the case. "Alright, so then why?"

"Money."

"Money?"

"My tribe lives on the outskirts of the Egyptian empire." Idres stated and Kiran watched him in interest. "With the state of the current Egyptian Empire, they're afraid we'll plot an uprising, so they've cut us off from our resources."

Kiran furrowed her brows as Idres watched her. "That's…" Kiran closed her eyes and shook her head. When she opened them, they flashed with determination. "I'm going to make sure things are different in Fleming."

Idres eyed her oddly. "...What?"

Kiran looked up and blinked in surprise before laughing nervously. "Oh, nothing. I was just somewhere else for a moment…"

Idres' eyes narrowed before he looked forward. "Do you love Ramses?"

Kiran jerked back and if Idres hadn't been holding her, she most definitely would have fallen off the horse. "You can't ask me about Ramses, that isn't personal!"

Idres glanced down at her. "I asked about _your_ feelings for _him_ , not the other way around." He corrected and Kiran glared before glancing to the side.

She could lie. Easily. She could just tell him that she merely held a deep admiration for him as a person or just say that she didn't care for him at all. He hadn't been around them like Layla or Seti had, he would probably believe her and it wouldn't be like he had any proof even if he doubted her. Was there really any point to lying, though? If he had kidnapped Ramses and was trying to manipulate her...but she was the one being held, so it was irrelevant.

"Yes." Kiran felt her eyes soften and something between a laugh and a sigh escaped her lips. "Yeah, I love him. I wish I didn't." Kiran smiled. "Life would just be so much easier if I didn't, but it seems like I was powerless to stop it." And she had tried. She really had tried, but love seemed to be a force as strong as gravity.

' _How cliche.'_

Kiran mocked herself.

"So, how about you?" Kiran looked back up to Idres with a grin. "You ever fallen in love?"

"No."

"How boring."

* * *

"So…"

Layla blinked as a voice spoke from next to her and she turned to face Neferet, briefly glancing around to see if there was anyone else she could possibly be talking to. No one. Layla glanced back over at the golden-eyed beauty in confusion.

Hesitantly she responded with a, "...Yes?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Neferet said simply, shifting her eyes innocently.

"But, why?" Layla merely spared her a suspicious glance.

"Nobody like you ever acts like that to my brother."

"I did tell you I was nobody." Layla grinned and Neferet eyed her fully visible teeth oddly.

"You grin, you stick your tongue out, and you snark at nobles. If you were always Seti's type it would explain a lot."

That got Layla to freeze, shifting her eyes to glance at the older woman, her expression turning from suspicious to slightly defensive. When Layla spoke next, her tone was cold, "You didn't some here to talk about Seti or me, you came to ask about Kiran." Layla resisted sneering at her and instead kept her gaze fixed cooly, not portraying her discomfort for any one of the subjects she'd mentioned.

"I did." Neferet confirmed and Layla sighed, ready to fall into yet another conversation about Kiran, the much desired and far too secretive 'goddess'. "...but I think I'd rather we just chat about other things, instead."

"...What?"

Not talk about Kiran? Gods, it seemed like a miracle to the girl. With Ames, with Harres, with Ramses, even with Seti and Nebet- the topic of conversation was almost always Kiran. The only notable exception had been Ameny, but even he seemed to have an ulterior motive, though Layla couldn't begin to guess what it was. When was the last time things had truly been about her? She would like to say it was that moment with Seti, but Layla had little idea how to interpret that kiss and even less of an idea if Seti cared for her as much as she was realizing she cared for him. She supposed it was when she and Kiran were still communicating and the older girl treated her like some precious family member.

But Layla wasn't Kiran's family and she never would be. The _ever_ so important woman had made that _very_ clear.

"Let's chat." Neferet sat down next to the blonde girl, taking the lack of outright refusal as implied permission. It was the nerve of nobles, Layla supposed.

"About Ramses?" Layla questioned.

If the woman wanted information about how her brother had been doing, she sure came to the wrong place.

"No."

"Then about Seti." She'd mentioned him earlier. It was just like a noble woman to want to gossip, especially since Neferet seemed to have realized her depressingly unreciprocated feelings. She probably wanted to taunt her. "If you think you can-"

"Not about him, either. Don't worry." Neferet assured.

Layla let out a harsh breath of frustration and, all semblance of politeness gone, glared at Ramses' prying sister. "Then what the hell do you want?"

Neferet smiled. Her lips were still firmly pressed together, prim and proper like only a noble's daughter could be, but there was something more than a noble daughter's ambitions behind it, not like her's of Kiran's blatant ones but more like something she'd see from Nebet.

"Let's try and be friends, Layla."

* * *

Kiran didn't have enough energy to struggle anymore. Literally, physically, she couldn't bring herself to move or struggle, no matter how much she wanted to.

"You've been oddly silent for a while now." Idres commented and looked down at her with what Kiran might have identified as concern if she wasn't feeling so dazed.

"I'm just...a bit overheated." Kiran shifted, feeling her head loll to the side heavily before straightening it with effort and barely managing to avoid resting it against Idres' chest. "It's hot." Kiran licked her dry lips, swallowing harshly and grimacing. "The desert's hot."

"It's night time." Idres stated in confusion and frustration, just a bit of worry slipping its way in.

Kiran lifted her head slowly and glanced briefly off into the night before letting it fall back. "So it is." she stated, lacking the sarcasm that should have accompanied it and taking in a deep breath of the cold air to try and sooth the burning heat she was feeling.

Kiran startled when a hand pressed to her forehead, but then calmed and instinctively pressed further into the cool palm. She heard Idres curse as he pulled his hand back and Kiran felt some mortification when she whined at the loss of his cool hand, but she was too tired to be actively embarrassed. Too tired and too hot. She wished he would put his hand to her head again.

"You're burning up." He stated.

Kiran barely heard him, still thinking about his hand. Was all of his body that cool? Kiran stared at his bare chest longingly before resting her head against it, sighing in relief as some of the heat was drawn out of her by his cool chest. Idres stiffened in response.

"You're...really dazed."

Kiran shifted as she felt Idres' hand come to her side and tug at her dress. "You're not allowed to take advantage of me." She muttered commandingly.

Idres snorted. "Even if I wanted to, you're hardly in any shape to stop me." He cursed once again as he saw the cut on her side was open and inflamed.

"Wha?" Kiran mumbled as she nuzzled against his chest, trying to soak up more of the cold.

Suddenly she was tugged away from his chest and held away so blue eyes met brown. Kiran whined at the loss of contact and Idres' gritted his teeth as he looked at her. He eyed her in both curiosity and frustration once again as well as growing worry and annoyance.

"You're way more trouble than you're worth, I swear." He glared at Kiran and she only eyed his chest once more. He shook her and Kiran's dazed blue orbs narrowed at him. "Right now, I know you have no sense of yourself, so I'm going to tell you to refrain from... _cuddling_ up against me."

Kiran gave him something _far_ too close to a pout. "You're nice, _cold_." Kiran leaned her head forward, but Idres kept her held back. "C'mon, _please_." Kiran looked into his eyes pleadingly and Idres cursed.

"I think I'm starting to see where Ramses' interest comes from." He muttered and sighed. "We will reach our destination in only a few hours, and until then…"

When he let his grip loosen from Kiran, she immediately let her head fall back to his chest. "Thank you~!" Kiran thanked happily as she nudged her forehead up against his chest.

Brown eyes stared down at her blankly. "You're delusional from fever and you will regret this when you wake up."

Kiran hummed absentmindedly as she glanced up at Idres and smiled, blue eyes sparkling. "You're nicer than I thought, Idres…"

Idres watched as her blue eyes became heavy-lidded and eventually fluttered shut. Once her eyes were shut completely, Idres reached out and ran a hand over Kiran's braid, trailing down to the scrap that held it in place. He quickly tugged it an ran his hand through her golden locks, releasing them.

Once more, Idres looked down at Kiran's resting face surrounded by her halo of golden hair and sighed.

"I'm not nice." He corrected as they continued on on his horse.

* * *

 **Kiran's funny what she's out of it. Drunk or sick, both are hilarious. Unfortunately, Kiran isn't going to have the luxury of forgetting everything this time around.**

 **Also, Neferet and Layla. Power duo? Who knows!**

 **Unfortunately, no Ramses and Kiran interactions (unless I decide to do extra little scenes) until she escapes or is rescued or is set free or any combination thereof.**

 **Idres is an interesting character to write for me and I hope you guys like him now that his motives have been elaborated on a bit.**

 **Reviews are appreciated!**


	47. Chapter 46 Captive Guest

Chapter 46 Captive Guest

Waking up groggy and in pain is never a good thing, and that was just common sense. More so when Kiran realized she had no idea where she was.

A tent, maybe, made of some kind of thick, light colored cloth carefully placed over a sturdy frame of tightly tied wooden sticks. She was on lying comfortably on a bed of soft woven blankets and animal pelts, covering a cushion of what was probably hay. It was elevated enough that it was like lying on a cot, and the sandy ground was a foot down from her. A glance around the rest of the room revealed a low table and multitudes of strung of herbs, pelts, and meats. There were also various colored carpets on the ground- beautiful should be noted- absolutely stunning design. So, the tent wasn't set up for temporary use, then. More than likely it was supposed to be some kind of storage place or medicine house, although it was hard to tell.

The next thing Kiran bothered to notice- which probably should have been the first thing- was her side where Idres had cut during their fight. Over the painful wound was now a scrap of sterile looking cloth and the coolness against her skin drew her to the conclusion that there was some kind of medicine on it. Whatever it was had sure done its job, because Kiran was feeling a whole lot better than-

Suddenly a thought hit her. Or rather, multiple thoughts of what she had done when she was delusional with fever.

' _Oh goddess Bastet, did I really-'_

' _ **Yes.'**_ Her conscience answered for her, probably to avoid the inevitable stewing in denial that would have occurred if she was left to herself. ' _ **Yes, you really did.'**_

Kiran felt heat fill her face, and _not_ from another bout of fever.

"Oh, you're awake." A voice spoke up and Kiran, pulling a pelt up over her chest since it seemed like her clothing had- understandably- been removed so she could be treated, snapped her head up to look at the new presence.

It was a woman, maybe a couple years older and, oddly, a mere couple of inches taller than herself. Her brown hair was strung through with turquoise and red colored beads with braids criss-crossing throughout. Her brown eyes were lined with khol dark enough to bring to life the shimmer of amber in them. Her skin was patterned with deliberate red symbols and not-so-deliberate scars. Her clothing looked similar to what Kiran usually wore; the white dress fell to her mid-thigh, but shades of green, blue, and red decorated elaborate trim and sashes. She was vibrant, pretty in a way that you just couldn't look away. So, it took Kiran a moment to even realize she was staring.

"Uh…" ' _Great start.'_ "Where am I?" ' _Followed by one of the dumbest questions you could possibly ask.'_

A smile stretched across the woman's lips, her eyes crinkling warmly. Kiran felt oddly safe in her presence for having no idea where she was. "You're in middle Egypt, on the outskirts of Itjtawy."

Warning bells went off in Kiran's head at the information, but she couldn't quite think of _why._ The woman seemed to notice her confused discomfort, but she just smiled secretively in response. It was probably just a normal reaction to being kidnapped, injured, and taken to an unknown place...right?

"Well…" Kiran spoke up, shaking off the oddly ominous feeling and grinning at the woman, "whatever the situation, thanks for healing me and everything." Infection shouldn't be underestimated and Kiran understood that in reality Idres could have just dropped her off to whoever was paying him to kidnap her and that would be the end of it. While she was slightly peeved she was so at his mercy, she also knew gratitude was due for not just dropping her off- her own health be damned. "Anyway…" Kiran continued, "I'm grateful. Oh, my name is-"

"Kiran." The woman interrupted. "I know. Brother told me." She grinned back in a way that made Kiran blink. She smiled like her and Layla, all teeth on display without any regard for what was proper. "My name is Ymire."

"Nice to meet you Ymire." Kiran smiled and then blinked. "Wait, did you say bro-"

The curtain behind Ymire opened up again, revealing Idres. The similarities were immediately apparent and Kiran didn't know why she hadn't recognized them before- although it might have had something to do with being dazed after collapsing from infection. Softly-shaped eyes, strong-set features, and the same sort of powerful and mysterious aura...but if Ymire was Idres' sister, wouldn't that mean he hadn't taken her to whoever he was supposed to?

"Are you well, now?" Idres questioned. Although the question was predictably lacking any outward concern Idres' tone seemed...different somehow than it did before.

Letting this new bit of vague information sink in, Kiran answered carefully, "As fine as a kidnap victim with an infected wound can be." Idres made an amused sound in response while Ymire looked between the two of them curiously. Alright, so _careful_ was a strong word. "...And thank you." Kiran added begrudgingly. ' _For not just dropping me into some stranger's lap half-dead.'_

Idres' clever eyes stared at her for a moment before he spoke, "You are...welcome." Although the words were offered like they tasted funny on his tongue, Kiran took tham at face value and grinned, consciously ignoring the fact that she was still in an uncomfortably vulnerable position- having no idea where she was and still weaker than she'd have liked from her injury.

"Forget my brother." Ymire suddenly spoke up, starling Kiran out of the daze she hadn't noticed she slipped into, her words drawing a curious glare from said brother. "Why don't I show you around our village? You should be well enough to walk around." Then, with a teasing smile, she added, "Although perhaps it would be best to get you some clothing first."

Kiran choked, remembering the only thing covering her was the pelt she had pulled up to haphazardly cover her chest, Idres' eyes flickered down from her eyes to the material, thankfully looking like he had _just_ realized it. Ymire's light laugh flittered in the background as Kiran gripped the pelt tighter to her chest and bared her teeth at Idres, who glanced back up to her eyes unflinchingly before his lips twitched with amusement and he 'politely' looked away, but didn't leave the tent.

"She is a _captive,_ Ymire, _not_ a guest." He stated, but the slight furrow of his brow gave Kiran the impression that he was already resigned.

"Like there's a difference." Ymire dismissed and Kiran resisted pointing out _a few_ differences. "Now be a gentleman and leave so our _guest_ can get _dressed._ "

Idres rolled his eyes and met Kiran's once more with a flicker of that same odd something that she had caught in his tone before. After a moment, he seemed to realize something unnerving, his expression pinching before he walked out.

"Just excuse my brother." Ymire spoke as she glided across the room and pulled a similar dress to her own out of a wooden chest and brought it over to Kiran. "This should fit."

Kiran took the dress with a short thanks and contemplated if she could manage to get it on from underneath the animal skin cover. Ymire seemed to catch what Kiran was thinking and chuckled. "Don't be so modest. You make it hard to believe you've been living in Egypt for these past few months. Did you come from a particularly modest place, then?"

"Modest?" Kiran pondered over in for a second. "I guess it was. Comparatively."

At least for her. Her aunt and grandparents couldn't have cared less what anyone else in the world wore, but for her it was 'that's so unladylike' and 'it's improper to wear that in public' (For her grandparents, at least, her aunt usually just called her a 'whore'). Whether it be the style or the amount of skin shown, they always had something to complain about. Jeans and a t-shirt were rebellious and Kiran would be lying if she said she didn't like the fact that here she could wear the equivalent of a short dress, although modern conventions prevented her from being able to consider some of the more risque Egyptian styles (she would _not_ be putting her chest on display even if it _was_ considered acceptable here).

"No need to be so sullen, I'll turn around." The words Ymire spoke made her sound deceptively oblivious to her wandering thoughts, but Kiran caught a slightly troubled expression on the older woman's face and cursed herself for being so obvious.

Kiran let the fur cover fall and stood, quickly changing into the outfit Ymire had lent her. It had the same basic design as the dresses she usually wore- when she wasn't pretending to be a maid or whatever for Ramses, a thought which brought a strikingly painful pang to her chest. Although, Kiran did note a few differences. Mainly the amount of decoration on the dress; there was a thick blue cloth sash around the midsection with red dyed wooden beads stitched in lines all around it, more coin-shaped red wooden beads dangling from the bottom of the dress- they came together with small _clink_ s when she moved, the neck of the dress fell slightly low and in place of sleeves the dress attached to leather straps that barely rested on the edge of her shoulders.

"This is…" Kiran spoke, examining the dress warily, "...fancier than expected." Even Ymire didn't have leather or dangling beads decorating her outfit.

Ymire turned around with a kind smile, "I wear it for celebrations, it looks lovely on you." Her eyes drifted to Kiran's golden hair and her smile turned up into a grin. "But hair that brilliant should definitely be styled."

"Are you sure this isn't too much?" Kiran asked confusedly. "Your brother was right when he said I'm only a prisoner, this treatment is a little.." Well, what would you call it? Strange? Inappropriate? Extravagant? All of the above. Why was Kiran even complaining? She didn't even _care_ about fancy clothing!

' _ **But you never let Ramses treat you like this.'**_ The pang was back and Kiran physically cringed, struggling against the urge to press her hand to her chest, even though she knew the action couldn't truly suppress the ache she felt.

' _Am I really okay with acting so close to my kidnapper and his sister- am I really okay letting them pamper and smile at me when I push Ramses away so forcefully? It feels like a betrayal.'_

"You being a prisoner is all the more reason to comply with my demands." Ymire joked, but the humor was lost to a now solemn Kiran.

Kiran didn't speak as Ymire braided, twisted, and beaded her hair. She felt less like prisoner and more like a guest, a fact which irked her. She was sitting bandaged, in a festival dress, having her hair braided in a tribe that planned to take her to Ramses' enemies so they might steal the Egyptian throne from under him. It all felt wrong, it all burned her up from the inside out, it all made her think of Ramses...and how right now all she wanted was to be by his side and tell him things she knew she couldn't tell him and offer things she knew she couldn't offer.

' _I hate myself and feel stupid for even thinking this,'_ Kiran grit her teeth as she tried to suppress the thought, but it burst through anyway, ' _but...I wish Ramses would save me so I could_ _ **stop**_ _thinking about him.'_

Better yet, Kiran would save herself...once the wound on her side healed, at least. For now, it felt terrible to be so tame, but Kiran was trying something that up until then she had only known in theory...playing it smart.

' _This will be hard.'_

* * *

 **I just keep introducing more and more characters, but they're all necessary in some way or another. Heads up, Idres has many siblings.**

 **Also, Kiran is realizing just how much she wants to be with Ramses and realizing that her aloofness towards him might be a bit too cruel, no matter her reasons. Still, Kiran won't just wait around so he can save hre like some damsel in distress, so Kiran's doing the only thing she** _ **can**_ **do as she is right now...which also happens to be one of the things she'd worst at. Restraining herself.**

 **This whole chapter was on Kiran, so the next one will focus on the other side of the situation.**

 **Please Review!**


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